&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Meloni wows with Hindi quote 'parishram hi safalta ki kunji hai' as India-Italy ties reach new high")
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Wednesday (May 20) showcased her Hindi-speaking skills, quoting the popular phrase "Parishram hi safalta ki kunji hai" which means "hard work is the key to success", during a joint press statement with PM Modi in Rome, drawing attention to the deepening warmth between India and Italy. Addressing the press conference, Meloni explained the significance of the word she had chosen. "There is an Indian word which states that very well, which is 'Parishram'. 'Parishram', which means hard work, constant commitment, and fatigue; a word which I know is very often used in India," she said, before underscoring how sustained effort had shaped the growing partnership between New Delhi and Rome.
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Meloni said the Hindi sentiment perfectly captured the spirit behind the two countries' diplomatic journey. She described PM Modi's visit as a "defining moment" that elevated bilateral ties to a "Special Strategic Partnership", the highest level of engagement ever achieved between the two nations.
The Italian PM noted that the visit was historic, as it marked the first bilateral trip by an Indian prime minister to Italy in over two decades. "The last visit of an Indian prime minister on a bilateral mission before this one dates back to the year 2000, 26 years ago. And today with this visit, not only are we bridging this gap, but together we have decided to revitalise our relations," she said.
Meloni traced the rapid arc of the relationship from the launch of the strategic partnership during her 2023 visit to New Delhi, to the signing of the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025–2029 at the G20 summit in Brazil, and now the elevation to a special strategic partnership in Rome.
The two sides also set an ambitious target of increasing bilateral trade from the current 14 billion euros to 20 billion euros by 2029, with cooperation spanning artificial intelligence, defence, space, energy, and innovation.
