Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Italy on Tuesday as part of the final leg of his five-nation tour, receiving a warm welcome from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome.
Soon after his arrival, Meloni shared a picture with PM Modi from the historic Colosseum and greeted him with a personal message on social media.
“Welcome to Rome, my friend,” she wrote in a post on X alongside the photograph.
Welcome to Rome, my friend! 🇮🇹🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/mUjFL4HIqY
— Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) May 19, 2026
Modi begins Italy visit
Italy is the fifth and last stop on PM Modi’s multi-country tour, which earlier included visits to Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands and the United Arab Emirates.
Also Read | Xi Jinping hosts ‘old friend’: Putin’s 25th China trip puts spotlight on growing Russia-China ties
The visit comes at a time when India and Italy are expanding cooperation across sectors under the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-2029. The framework covers areas such as trade, defence, clean energy, science and technology, innovation and people-to-people ties.
According to ANI, bilateral trade between the two countries reached $16.77 billion in 2025, while cumulative foreign direct investment stood at $3.66 billion between April 2000 and September 2025.
Focus on cooperation and IMEC
Before beginning official engagements, PM Modi outlined the agenda for the visit in a post on X.
"I have landed in Rome, Italy. I will meet President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and hold discussions with them. This visit will focus on how to strengthen cooperation between India and Italy, with particular attention to the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). The Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-2029 will also be reviewed. I will also visit the headquarters of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), reinforcing India's commitment to multilateralism and global food security," PM Modi said.
Upon landing in Rome, had the opportunity to meet Prime Minister Meloni over dinner followed by a visit to the iconic Colosseum. We exchanged perspectives on a wide range of subjects. Looking forward to our talks today, where we will continue the conversation on how to boost the… pic.twitter.com/df0bDYKCdU
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 20, 2026
The Prime Minister is expected to hold talks with Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Meloni during the visit.
Warm welcome in Rome
PM Modi was welcomed at the airport by Italian Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani.
Also Read | Is Iran planning a bounty on Trump and Netanyahu? Here's all we know
He also interacted with members of the Indian diaspora gathered in Rome. At his hotel, cultural performances including classical dance and instrumental music were organised in his honour, adding to the ceremonial welcome during his arrival in the Italian capital.
