When Narendra Modi handed a packet of Parle’s Melody toffee to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome on May 20, the moment looked like a playful internet joke that had suddenly broken the boundaries of social media and entered diplomacy. Why is Parle Melody so chocolaty? That’s a question the brand had positioned and is a popular tag for the toffee. However, Melody has become an answer to questions about India’s rising export and production story in a symbolic manner.
The “Melodi” meme, born from a combination of the two leaders’ surnames, has been amplified online since the G20 summit in 2023. Meloni laughed on camera and called it a “very, very good toffee” as the clip spread rapidly across platforms.
