Giorgia Meloni has become one of the most influential and closely watched leaders in Europe. She created history on October 22, 2022, by becoming Italy’s first woman Prime Minister, heading a right-wing coalition led by her party, Brothers of Italy.
Known for her nationalist politics, tough stand on immigration and emphasis on traditional social values, Meloni has become a major face of Europe’s conservative movement.
Born in Rome on January 15, 1977, Meloni entered politics at the age of 15 through student and youth activism. She rose steadily in Italian politics, becoming a councillor in Rome at 21 and later leading the youth wing of the Alleanza Nazionale party. In 2008, at the age of 31, she became Italy’s youngest-ever minister after being appointed Minister for Youth.
Meloni co-founded Brothers of Italy in 2012 and became the party’s leader two years later. Under her leadership, the party grew from a small nationalist platform into Italy’s leading political force. Her political background and past remarks linked to Italy’s far-right tradition have often drawn criticism, especially because of her early association with movements connected to supporters of former dictator Benito Mussolini.
Meloni has also developed a strong diplomatic equation with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Both leaders have pushed for stronger India-Italy cooperation in trade, defence, technology and clean energy, while their meetings at global platforms such as the G20 have frequently drawn international attention.
Despite criticism from political opponents across Europe, Meloni has strengthened her position at home and emerged as a pragmatic voice within the European Union, particularly on issues such as Ukraine, migration and economic stability.
In this edition of Statecraft, anchor Geeta Mohan analyses key geopolitical developments across the globe. At the United Nations General Assembly, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended strikes on Iran and displayed a Starlink terminal alongside references to pager explosions, amid a walkout by delegates and a cancelled meeting with Elon Musk. Meanwhile in Washington, US President Donald Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping with full ceremonial honours, agreeing to extend the bilateral trade truce by two months while strategic disagreements over Taiwan, artificial intelligence, and rare earths persisted. The broadcast examines the regional implications of potential US-China rapprochement for India and the wider Indo-Pacific. Additionally, the programme covers Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif evading questions on Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed at the UN, as well as Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's new cabinet decree prohibiting face coverings in schools and capping non-Italian speakers at 30% per classroom.
Italy has announced a decree prohibiting face-covering Islamic veils in schools, implementing a measure that Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government had been considering. Alongside the ban, the decree caps non-Italian speaking students at 30% per classroom to boost integration through language learning. The regulations apply to all non-Italian speakers regardless of citizenship status. Prime Minister Meloni stated that the measures aim to avoid ghetto classrooms. However, opposition parties, educators, and unions have raised concerns, warning of potential student displacement following the announcement.
This news broadcast covers key national and international developments, beginning with the widening POCSO investigation involving granite industrialist R. Veeramani in Chennai. Following the recovery of pen drive evidence regarding the alleged sexual assault of minors in Teynampet, the Special POCSO Court rejected a closure report and directed a reinvestigation, leading to the arrest of Veeramani, Shanthi, and Mahendra Simon. The development triggered political debates between TVK and DMK representatives alongside demands for a CBI probe into earlier police handling of the case. In Karnataka, tensions escalated in the Assembly over the rendition of Vande Mataram, leading to confrontations between the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP. Additionally, the Supreme Court ordered a fresh Special Investigation Team probe into the 2012 Dharmasthala Soujanya case. Internationally, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni proposed restrictions on burqas, niqabs, and classroom quotas for foreign students, while India's medal tally reached six at the Asian Games in Japan.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has announced plans to introduce measures banning the burqa and niqab in schools, capping the number of foreign pupils per class, and requiring certain parents to attend Italian language lessons. Framed as integration rules, the proposals come as immigration remains a key issue ahead of Italy's upcoming general elections. The proposed measures aim to establish legal limits on foreign students in classrooms, build on existing 30 percent caps, and address integration difficulties faced by foreign students and their families. The draft proposals will be presented to the cabinet before undergoing the legislative process to become law.
A political controversy erupted following Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' student outreach event after comedian Pulkit Mani performed a satirical mimicry of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The act satirised the Prime Minister's mannerisms, his interactions with foreign leaders, and an incident where he offered a chair to an elderly woman whom he addressed as mother. The Bharatiya Janata Party attacked the Congress and Rahul Gandhi, with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and other leaders accusing the party of insulting women and misleading youth, while demanding Rahul Gandhi quit politics. Defending the event, Congress leaders stated that the performance was political satire and mimicry rather than a serious statement, pointing out the presence of women in the audience who enjoyed the act. The opposition also questioned why similar outrage was absent when Sonia Gandhi faced political insults, as both sides traded fierce charges over political propriety.
A special broadcast reviews Prime Minister Narendra Modi's journey as he turns 76, marking 25 years in public life and his tenure as India's longest-serving elected Prime Minister. The report highlights India's economic ascent from the tenth to the fifth largest economy, structural reforms including the Goods and Services Tax, digital public infrastructure under the JAM trinity, and expansion in manufacturing through Production Linked Incentive schemes. Key welfare programs, such as the PM Awas Yojana, Jal Jeevan Mission, and Direct Benefit Transfer mechanism, are detailed alongside rapid infrastructural growth spanning Vande Bharat trains, national highways, and aviation under the UDAN scheme. The bulletin examines India's foreign policy approach, space milestones including Chandrayaan and Gaganyaan, and traditional service-oriented birthday initiatives, culminating in the launch of healthcare programs in Dhar, Madhya Pradesh. Global leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, extended birthday greetings commending India's rising international profile.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi marked his 76th birthday, completing 25 years in public life as an elected leader. Taking office as Prime Minister in May 2014 after serving as Gujarat Chief Minister, his administration oversaw significant economic and policy transformations. India's economy expanded from tenth to fifth largest globally, supported by initiatives including the Goods and Services Tax, the JAM trinity, Unified Payments Interface, and production-linked incentives. Social welfare delivery expanded through direct benefit transfers alongside schemes such as PM Awas Yojana, Jal Jeevan Mission, Swachh Bharat Mission, and Ayushman Bharat. In infrastructure, the government rolled out Vande Bharat trains, expanded airports under the UDAN scheme, and developed the PM GatiShakti platform. On foreign policy, India hosted the G20 presidency, advanced space exploration through the Chandrayaan and Gaganyaan missions, and deepened ties across the Global South. Entering his third term, the administration addresses domestic coalition management, youth employment, and global trade dynamics while pursuing the Viksit Bharat framework.
As Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrates his 76th birthday, wishes have poured in from world leaders across the globe. Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Modi's political wisdom and his role in strengthening the India-Russia strategic partnership. Birthday greetings also arrived from the United States on behalf of President Donald Trump, as well as from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who highlighted the deepening India-Italy friendship. Leaders from Nepal, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Switzerland, and the Netherlands also extended warm greetings, commending India's leadership and its expanding presence on the global stage.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on becoming the longest continuously serving Prime Minister in Italy's post-war history. Prime Minister Modi stated that this milestone reflects the trust and confidence of the Italian people in her leadership. Hailing their friendship as instrumental in strengthening the India-Italy special strategic partnership, he expressed best wishes for her continued success and looked forward to sustained cooperation between the two nations. The relationship between India and Italy continues to expand across multiple areas, including defence collaboration, agriculture, digital connectivity infrastructure, and Italy's willingness to participate in the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor project. Italy has also played a significant role regarding the free trade agreement between India and the European Union as bilateral ties and multilateral cooperation between India and European nations continue to deepen.
Rahul Gandhi's swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign policy, referencing Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, has reignited a political row. Experts discuss whether women leaders are increasingly being drawn into political attacks to settle scores in India's political discourse.
A political row erupted over Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign policy and Congress leader Sandeep Dixit’s comments involving Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit to Jakarta, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto praised his leadership, stating, "I openly admit that I follow your career, and I copy a lot of your programmes, and it's proving to be successful for us."
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni slammed US President Donald Trump after he claimed she "begged" him for a photograph during the recent G7 summit.
In a fresh blow to the Mamata Banerjee-led party, now Trinamool Congress MP Sushmita Dev resigned from the party and the Rajya Sabha.
The Union Cabinet passed a resolution and gave a standing ovation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for becoming the longest-serving elected head of the government over three consecutive terms. The Prime Minister completed 4,399 consecutive days in office, surpassing the previous record of 4,398 uninterrupted days held by the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, since the first general elections in 1952.
As Prime Minister Narendra Modi prepares to surpass Jawaharlal Nehru's record and become India's longest continuously serving democratically elected Prime Minister, this special discussion examines the political, economic and diplomatic legacy of his 12 years in office.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's gift of Melody toffee to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during his visit to Italy has sparked a massive political war.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is in Italy on the last leg of a five-nation tour, held bilateral talks with his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni on defence cooperation, maritime security, and technological advancements.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is holding bilateral talks with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi after he gifted a packet of Melody toffees to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during his Italy visit.
