Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has shared vivid memories of her 2023 India visit in her new book Giorgia’s Vision, co-authored with journalist Alessandro Sallusti.
She recalled how New Delhi’s streets were lined with posters welcoming her arrival and later thanking her for the visit.
Meloni wrote that Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani, who accompanied her, joked she would win “a million votes” if she contested from a New Delhi constituency. She visited India twice in 2023, first for the Raisina Dialogue in March and later for the G20 Summit in September.
The Italian leader, who enjoys a warm rapport with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and is affectionately dubbed part of the “Melodi” duo by social media, emphasised that successful diplomacy often requires personal connections beyond formalities. She illustrated this through anecdotes involving leaders worldwide.
She recounted forging ties with Tunisian President Kais Saied during a cigarette break, receiving a bouquet of orange roses from Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, and a giant Hello Kitty doll from former Japanese PM Fumio Kishida for her daughter. Albanian PM Edi Rama, fluent in Italian, regularly exchanges messages with her on politics. Polish PM Mateusz Morawiecki once took her to a Tolkien-themed café, knowing her love for The Lord of the Rings. Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev gifted her a translated copy of her memoir, I Am Giorgia.
Published by Rupa Publications, Giorgia’s Vision is priced at Rs 695 and includes a foreword by US Vice President J.D. Vance. The book explores leadership, identity, meritocracy, family, and diplomacy through candid conversations.
