India’s Candy Crush: PM Modi & Giorgia Meloni’s 'Melody Moment' And The Chocolate Push We Didn’t See Coming

Key points

• India’s Candy Crush: PM Modi & Giorgia Meloni’s 'Melody Moment' And The Chocolate Push We Didn’t See Coming Reported By, Edited By Last Updated: May 20, 2026, 18:06 IST Indian chocolate exports have grown by a staggering 166 per cent compared to the 2013-14 fiscal benchmarks During his visit to Italy, Narendra Modi today gifted a packet of Melody Toffee to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
• Image/X The viral “Melody" moment between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Italian PM Giorgia Meloni has taken social media by storm.
• Yet, behind this lighthearted encounter lies a calculated state policy.
• The Indian government is leveraging the internet sensation to launch a massive structural push aimed at transforming domestic cocoa production and catapulting local chocolate manufacturers onto the global stage.
• Under the umbrella of the Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) initiative, New Delhi is actively working to shift consumer preferences away from expensive imports and...