‘Welcome to Rome, my friend’: Giorgia Meloni greets PM Modi as he arrives in Italy

Narendra Modi arrived in Italy on Tuesday (local time) for the final stop of his five-nation tour, receiving a warm welcome from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who shared a photograph with him at the historic Colosseum and referred to him as “my friend.”

“Welcome to Rome, my friend,” Meloni wrote in a post on X alongside the image from the Colosseum stands.

Modi’s Italy visit marks the fifth and concluding leg of his diplomatic tour, following visits to Norway, Sweden, Netherlands and the United Arab Emirates.

The visit comes at a time of growing cooperation between India and Italy, with both countries moving ahead on the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025–2029, which covers key sectors including trade, investment, defence, clean energy, technology, innovation and people-to-people ties.

In a post on X, Modi said his meetings in Rome would focus on deepening bilateral cooperation and reviewing progress under the strategic partnership framework.

“I have landed in Rome, Italy. I will meet President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and hold discussions with them,” he wrote.

Modi said talks would include discussions on the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) and a review of the Joint Strategic Action Plan. He also announced plans to visit the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization to reaffirm India’s commitment to multilateral cooperation and global food security.

At the airport, Modi was received by Italian Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani and later interacted with members of the Indian diaspora.

Upon arriving at his hotel in Rome, the Prime Minister was welcomed with cultural performances, including classical dance and instrumental presentations organised in his honour.