Video from Australia shared as 'grand welcome’ for Indian Prime Minister Modi in Italy

What is the claim?

A video circulating on social media purportedly depicts Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi being enthusiastically welcomed by a large crowd inside what appears to be a stadium. The video claims to depict a “grand welcome” for Modi during his recent visit to Italy for the G7 summit.

One such post on X (formerly Twitter) captioned the viral video, “This is how Modiji was welcomed in Pappu's (purportedly referring to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi) grandmother's country Italy yesterday. Sycophants should not watch it because they will not be able to digest it.”

Archived versions of similar posts can be viewed here and here. The clip is also being shared on Facebook with similar claims, archived here, here, and here.

Screenshot of the viral posts on social media. (Source: X/Facebook/Screenshot/Modified by Logically Facts)

The posts are circulating in response to Modi’s recent visit to Italy for the 50th Group of 7 (G7) summit, where India participated as an outreach country. The G7 Summit was held in Fasano, Italy, from June 13 to 15 and was attended by leaders from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

However, our investigation reveals that the viral video is old and actually shows Modi’s arrival at a community event in Sydney, Australia.

What did we find? 

A reverse image search of the viral clip led us to a video uploaded on Modi’s official YouTube channel (archived here on May 23, 2023. The video description states, “PM Modi attended mega community programme in Sydney, Australia. Australian PM Albenese also joined in for the event.” We observed multiple similarities between the YouTube video and the viral clip, including lighting, screens, seating arrangements, and the stage.

Comparison between the viral clip and 2023 video. (Source: Facebook/YouTube/Screenshot) 

Upon closer examination, we can see that the screen in the viral clip displays Modi walking on a red carpet with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, with the national flags of India and Australia visible in the background. This reaffirms that the video was likely captured in Australia.

A screenshot of the screen is visible in the viral clip. (Source: X/Screenshot)

From there, we found another video from the same event uploaded on Modi’s YouTube channel (archived here) on May 23, 2023. It shows him entering the Qudos Bank Arena venue with his Australian counterpart. The caption reads, “Festive fervour in Sydney as PM Modi and PM Albanese arrive at Qudos Bank Stadium!” The visuals in this video also match those in the viral clips.

Comparison between the viral clip and 2023 video. (Source: Facebook/YouTube/Screenshot)

Additionally, images from the event were published on Modi’s official website, further corroborating the YouTube videos. Several media outlets, including Reuters and The Guardian, reported on the event and the discussions between the two Prime Ministers about strengthening bilateral relations.

The verdict

A video showing Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi being welcomed in Sydney, Australia, in May 2023, is circulating with a false claim that it portrays a 'grand' reception for Modi in Italy during the recent G7 summit.