Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted a packet of Parle’s Melody toffee to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during a visit to Rome [1].
The gesture highlights the Indian government's effort to promote domestic brands on the global stage and strengthen diplomatic ties with Italy [2].
Mayank Shah, Vice President and CMO of Parle Products, said the event was a proud milestone for the company. The interaction sparked a viral social media trend combining the names of the two leaders and the candy brand [1].
"We are pleasantly surprised and deeply grateful for the global visibility," Shah said [1].
Shah said the gift was a "nice way of promoting Made-in-India products," according to reports [3]. Parle Products, which was established in 1983 [3], has become a staple of the Indian confectionery market. The sudden international exposure provided by the diplomatic exchange has brought renewed attention to the brand's reach.
While the toffee is widely known within India, its appearance in a high-level diplomatic setting in Italy has amplified its visibility beyond traditional market boundaries. The company viewed the moment as an unexpected but welcome endorsement of Indian manufacturing, and quality [1].
This interaction occurs as India continues to push for greater global recognition of its homegrown industries through strategic diplomatic gifting and trade partnerships [2].
“"We are pleasantly surprised and deeply grateful for the global visibility."”
The use of a common consumer product as a diplomatic gift serves as a soft-power tool to project the 'Made in India' initiative. By gifting a mass-market brand like Parle, the Indian administration signals that domestic industrial success spans from high-tech sectors to everyday consumer goods, potentially increasing the brand equity of Indian exports in European markets.
