A casual remark by US President Donald Trump about Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at the G7 summit has spiralled into a diplomatic incident, with Italy's foreign minister cancelling a planned visit to Washington and Meloni herself publicly rejecting Trump's account as entirely fabricated.

In an interview with Italian broadcaster La7, Trump claimed that Meloni had "begged" him for a photograph during the recently concluded G7 summit in Evian, France. He reportedly said she wanted a picture with him "so badly" and that he agreed only because he "felt sorry for her." The remarks, casual in tone but cutting in implication, landed badly in Rome.

Meloni pushed back sharply. "Neither I nor Italy ever beg," she said in a public response, calling Trump's version of events "completely made up." She also took a pointed dig at the US president, suggesting he showed more indulgence toward Western adversaries than toward allies — a remark that underlined the depth of her irritation.

Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani went further, cancelling his scheduled visit to the United States next week and describing Trump's comments as an insult not just to Meloni personally, but to Italy as a whole. Giovanbattista Fazzolari, a close aide to Meloni and Undersecretary to the Prime Minister's Office, said Trump was — whether deliberately or not — damaging the historically strong relationship between the US and Europe. The biggest loser from this, he warned, would ultimately be America itself.

The spat is notable given how warm the Trump-Meloni relationship once appeared. The two right-wing leaders were seen as ideological allies, and at the G7 summit itself, there had been visible signs of a thaw after months of cooling ties. On the sidelines in Evian, Trump had jokingly told Meloni "you've abandoned me," to which she replied, "That's not true, we've always been friends." Days later, his interview comments painted a rather different picture of how he views that friendship.

The friction between the two has been building over substantive disagreements — particularly over Iran policy and Trump's public criticism of Pope Leo, which drew considerable backlash in Catholic-majority Italy.

On the sidelines of the same summit, the camaraderie between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Meloni drew considerable attention. The two have developed a visible rapport across multiple international forums, with the hashtag Melodi gaining traction on social media. At Evian, Meloni jokingly told Modi they were Instagram's most talked-about pair. Their friendship gained viral attention earlier when Modi gifted Meloni India's well-known Melody toffees during his Rome visit — a video that reportedly crossed 100 million views online. Meloni has publicly called Modi the world's most popular leader.

Whether the Trump-Meloni row will have lasting consequences for US-Italy or broader US-Europe ties remains to be seen, but the cancellation of Tajani's visit signals Rome is in no mood to brush the episode aside.

A brief gesture between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump has become one of the most-discussed visuals from the 52nd G7 Summit, as the two leaders met face-to-face on Tuesday for the first time in 16 months.

The moment unfolded during the traditional G7 family photograph session, held on the terraces overlooking the lake in Évian-les-Bains. As leaders climbed onto the elevated podium for the group image, PM Modi was seen extending a hand to help Trump step up.

It lasted only seconds, but cameras caught it clearly, and the clip has since been widely shared online.

The gesture drew attention partly because of the backdrop against which it occurred. Ties between New Delhi and Washington have gone through a rocky patch in recent months, with trade disagreements and broader geopolitical friction occasionally spilling into public view. Against that setting, the small act of assistance was read by many observers as an informal icebreaker ahead of more substantive talks between the two leaders.

During the photo session, Modi and Trump stood alongside French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, among other G7 leaders and invited partners.

Once the photograph was taken, the leaders moved towards the outreach session. Modi and Trump were seen shaking hands and exchanging a few words, a brief interaction that again caught the attention of delegates and reporters present at the venue.

The real substance of the engagement, though, is expected on Wednesday, when Modi and Trump are scheduled to hold a formal bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the summit. According to officials from India's Ministry of External Affairs and the White House, cited by news agency ANI, the talks are expected to cover a long-pending trade agreement, deeper cooperation in defence manufacturing, maritime security arrangements, and collaboration in emerging technologies including artificial intelligence.

The timing matters. The meeting comes amid heightened regional tension, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint that carries a significant share of the world's seaborne oil trade. Any disruption there has direct implications for energy prices and supply chains that both India and the US have an interest in stabilising.

Trade is likely to dominate Wednesday's conversation. Negotiators on both sides have been working through outstanding issues for months, and officials suggest the G7 sidelines could provide an opportunity to push the talks closer to a conclusion, though no timeline has been confirmed. Further details on what specifically will be signed or announced are awaited, with officials describing the discussions as still evolving.

For now, it is the podium moment that has captured public attention, even as the more consequential conversations between the two leaders are still to come.

PM Modi meets Giorgia Meloni in Rome: High-level bilateral talks and strategic economic corridor in focus

Wide-ranging discussions underway as Prime Minister concludes his multi-nation diplomatic tour with key focus on trade, defense, and global supply chains.

ROME — Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the Italian capital late Tuesday evening for the final leg of his five-nation diplomatic tour. Shortly after landing, PM Modi meets Giorgia Meloni in Rome for high-level engagements, marking his first dedicated bilateral visit to Italy. The initial meeting, which concluded over an informal dinner, saw the two leaders exchanging views on regional and global developments ahead of structured delegation-level talks.

Red carpet welcome in Rome

Upon his arrival at Rome airport, Prime Minister Modi was received by Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, alongside India’s Ambassador to Italy, Vani Sarraju Rao. The Prime Minister received a ceremonial red-carpet reception from the Italian guard of honour before proceeding to his hotel, where a large gathering of the Indian diaspora and local cultural performers welcomed him with classical musical showcases.

Focus on strategic corridor

According to a post shared by the Prime Minister on social media platform X shortly after touchdown, the primary objective of the bilateral visit centers around reviewing the ambitious India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). Ground-level officials familiar with the matter stated that the alignment of supply chains and maritime logistical frameworks under IMEC remains a priority for both Rome and New Delhi, especially amidst continuing regional uncertainties in West Asia.

Reviewing the 5-year action plan

A key component of the formal deliberations on Wednesday will be a comprehensive review of the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025–2029. The plan spans critical sectors, including advanced technology, defense production, clean energy partnerships, and space research. Data from the Ministry of External Affairs indicates that bilateral trade between the two nations surpassed USD 16.7 billion in recent cycles, with a mutual push to escalate industrial investments in automotive, machinery, and pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Diplomatic engagements and global outreach

Apart from his detailed session where PM Modi meets Giorgia Meloni in Rome, the Prime Minister is scheduled to call on Italian President Sergio Mattarella at the Quirinale Palace. Official sources confirmed that the leaders will address complex geopolitical issues, including the Russia-Ukraine conflict, maritime safety in the Indo-Pacific region, and global energy security. Additionally, the Prime Minister is slated to visit the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to reiterate India’s stance on global food security and multilateralism.

Final leg of multi-nation tour

Italy marks the conclusion of an intense five-nation tour that began on May 15. Prior to arriving in Rome, Prime Minister Modi visited the UAE, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Norway, where he co-chaired the 3rd India-Nordic Summit in Oslo. With formal business interactions with leading Italian industrialists scheduled for later in the day, New Delhi aims to draw substantial foreign direct investment into India’s expanding green technology and infrastructure sectors before the Prime Minister departs for India on Wednesday night.

The initial moments of the Prime Minister's arrival and the informal diplomatic greetings can be observed in this news coverage video, which outlines the key focus areas of the bilateral agenda between India and Italy.