New Delhi, May 21 -- The internet may have been obsessed with the now-viral packet of Parle Melody toffees gifted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during his Rome visit, but the diplomatic exchange involved much more than a playful 'Melodi' reference.

Behind the light-hearted social media moment was a carefully curated display of India's cultural diplomacy, with PM Modi presenting world leaders a range of traditional Indian crafts, paintings, textiles and regional specialties during his five-nation diplomatic tour.

From Assam's famed Muga silk to Odisha's intricate palm-leaf art and Gujarat's rare Rogan paintings, the gifts highlighted India's regional diversity and artisanal traditions while symb...