Trending Now - Modi's Gift to Meloni Sparks Controversy and Market Decline
WHO:
The Indian Express - Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, BJP MP Sambit Patra, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, BJP national president Nitin Nabin, Congress leader Supriya Shrinate.
WHAT:
The Indian Express - The "Melodi" hashtag, a blend of Modi and Meloni's names, first emerged during the COP28 summit in Dubai in 2023.
NDTV - Shares of Parle Industries rose 5% from Rs 4.95 to Rs 5.25 within an hour of the "Melody" clip going viral.
NDTV - Parle Industries' stock had fallen nearly 68% over the past 12 months before the viral moment.
The Indian Express - Modi gifted ‘Melody’ toffees to Meloni during his visit to Italy.
The Indian Express - Meloni thanked Modi for the gift in a video, stating, “Prime Minister Modi brought as a gift, a very, very good toffee — Melody.”
NDTV - The video of the gift led to a surge in "Melodi" memes on social media.
Bloomberg Markets - Shares of Parle Industries rose sharply after the gift was publicized.
NDTV - Parle Industries' stock increased by 5% to Rs 5.25 following the viral moment.
WHERE:
The Indian Express - The meeting took place in Rome, Italy.
WHEN:
The Indian Express - The video of Meloni thanking Modi was shared on May 20, 2026.
WHY:
The Indian Express - Rahul Gandhi criticized Modi for focusing on light-hearted gestures while economic issues were affecting citizens.
The Indian Express - Mallikarjun Kharge accused the government of prioritizing public relations over economic challenges.
HOW:
NDTV - Investors mistakenly bought shares of Parle Industries, believing it was connected to the Melody toffee, despite it being unrelated to Parle Products, the actual maker of Melody toffees.
NDTV - Investors mistakenly bought shares of Parle Industries, believing it was connected to the Melody toffee, despite it being unrelated.
(UPDATED May 20, 2026 16:10 UTC)
The "Melodi" hashtag, a combination of Modi and Meloni's names, gained traction during the COP28 summit in Dubai in 2023, leading to a surprising spike in Parle Industries' stock. Shares of Parle Industries rose 5% from Rs 4.95 to Rs 5.25 within an hour of a viral clip, despite the company having seen a nearly 68% decline in stock value over the past year. This surge was fueled by investors mistakenly associating Parle Industries with the Melody toffee, even though it is unrelated to Parle Products, the actual manufacturer of the popular sweets.
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(UPDATED May 20, 2026 13:53 UTC)
During a recent meeting in Rome, Prime Minister Modi gifted Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni a box of ‘Melody’ toffees, which she enthusiastically thanked him for in a video, calling it “a very, very good toffee.” This light-hearted exchange sparked a wave of "Melodi" memes on social media and led to a notable five percent increase in Parle Industries' stock, rising to Rs 5.25, as investors mistakenly associated the company with the toffee. Meanwhile, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge criticized Modi for focusing on such gestures while pressing economic issues continue to affect citizens.