India, May 21 -- By the time Parle Products vice president Mayank Shah woke up on Wednesday, Melody toffees had sold out on Amazon and Blinkit. The stock market was surging. His phone rang nonstop.

Overnight, the brand he markets had gained a global audience of hundreds of millions, thanks to a small packet of candy at a diplomatic dinner in Rome. "We did not expect anything remotely like this," Shah told a news agency, calling it an "internet-breaking moment."

He said the company expects increased domestic and international sales after the viral clip of Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifting Melody toffees to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome. The modest gift triggered events across social media, quick commerce platforms, and...