Rome/New Delhi, May 20(HS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a warm and high-profile welcome in Rome on Tuesday as Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni greeted him with a personal message and photograph shortly after his arrival in the Italian capital, the final destination of his five-nation diplomatic tour.

Sharing a picture with Prime Minister Modi on social media, Giorgia Meloni wrote, “Welcome to Rome, my friend!”, underlining the growing warmth and strategic closeness between India and Italy.

Prime Minister Modi arrived in Rome amid expanding bilateral engagement between the two nations across trade, defence, clean energy, technology, innovation and global strategic cooperation. During the visit, he is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Meloni and meet Italian President Sergio Mattarella.

The Rome visit comes at a significant moment for India-Italy relations, with both countries actively implementing the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025–2029 aimed at strengthening cooperation in key sectors including advanced manufacturing, energy transition, digital innovation, mobility, artificial intelligence and scientific collaboration.

Soon after his arrival, Prime Minister Modi was welcomed with a cultural reception that reflected the growing influence of Indian heritage and artistic traditions in Europe. During the ceremony, artists performed a traditional musical composition inspired by Raga Hamsadhwani in honour of the Indian Prime Minister.

One of the performers said the composition was specially created collectively by the musicians to celebrate the visit of the Indian leader. The artist added that the experience had inspired them to further promote Indian culture and artistic traditions across Italy and Europe.

Prime Minister Modi was also presented with a painting depicting the iconic ghats of Varanasi, symbolising India’s rich spiritual and cultural heritage. The artwork was viewed as a tribute to one of the world’s oldest living cities and a reflection of India’s civilisational identity.

The Prime Minister’s arrival in Rome follows his participation in the Third India-Nordic Summit in Oslo, where he held discussions with leaders of Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Iceland on climate cooperation, green technology, innovation, Arctic partnerships and sustainable development.

Italy marks the concluding leg of Prime Minister Modi’s extensive five-country visit, which also included engagements in the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands, Sweden and Norway. The broader tour focused on strengthening strategic partnerships, economic cooperation, technological collaboration and global coordination on emerging geopolitical challenges.

Officials indicated that the meetings in Rome are expected to further elevate India-Italy relations and reinforce New Delhi’s expanding diplomatic and economic engagement with Europe.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar