Italian Prime Minister (PM) Giorgia Meloni has emphasised the importance of ties with Pakistan in a response to PM Shehbaz Sharif, highlighting areas of bilateral cooperation despite her widely publicised rapport with Indian premier Narendra Modi.
PM Shehbaz congratulated Meloni after she became Italy’s longest continuously serving prime minister in the post-war period, saying he looked forward to further strengthening relations between Pakistan and Italy.
In her reply, Meloni thanked PM Shehbaz for his message and for highlighting the importance of relations between the two countries.
She said that Italy and Pakistan had strengthened cooperation in recent years in economic exchanges, development cooperation and ties between their people.
Meloni added that she believed there were further opportunities to expand the relationship and turn it into new prospects for both countries.
Her response comes against the backdrop of the close public rapport she shares with Modi, which has attracted considerable attention online and become known as “Melodi”.
While Modi’s message to Meloni, whom the internet has often dubbed “bestfriends”, focused on their friendship and its contribution to India-Italy relations, the Iralian premier’s response to PM Shehbaz centred on Pakistan-Italy cooperation and the scope for expanding bilateral ties.
The contrasting messages have drawn attention to Meloni’s engagement with both South Asian countries, particularly given the visibility of her interactions with Modi.
Meloni’s remarks to PM Shehbaz pointed specifically to economic exchanges, development cooperation and people-to-people ties as areas where Italy and Pakistan have strengthened their relationship, while also identifying further opportunities for closer cooperation.
