'If you ran in New Delhi, you’d win a million votes': Giorgia Meloni recalls 2023 India visit

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has recalled her 2023 visit to India in a new book, sharing an anecdote about the enthusiastic welcome she received in New Delhi, where posters of her image lined the streets.

In “Giorgia’s Vision”, based on conversations with journalist Alessandro Sallusti, Meloni writes that during her arrival in New Delhi, she was surprised to see large hoardings featuring her face with the word “Welcome” displayed repeatedly along key routes. The same posters later changed to “Thank you for visiting” when she departed.

The display prompted Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani, who accompanied her, to jokingly remark that if she ever contested an election in New Delhi, she would win “a million votes,” she recalls in the book.

Meloni visited India twice in 2023 — first for the Raisina Dialogue in March and later for the G20 Summit in September — during which she developed a notably warm rapport with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, often highlighted in international media.

In her book, she reflects on how diplomacy is often shaped not only by formal negotiations but also by informal personal interactions. She notes that small gestures, conversations, and shared cultural references often help build stronger international relationships.

Meloni also recounts several personal anecdotes involving world leaders, including informal meetings, shared interests, and light-hearted exchanges that she says helped strengthen diplomatic ties.