Greece, India eye ‘strategic relationship’
Historic Modi visit deepens cooperation, with both countries agreeing on significance of Law of Sea
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis welcomed his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi to the Maximos Mansion in Athens on Friday in a historic first visit by an Indian premier in 40 years, underlining the improvement in relations between the two countries that have been consistently cultivated in recent years.
Mitsotakis and Modi referred to a joint statement by both sides upgrading the relationship to “a strategic one.”
The statement signed reflects the common understanding between Greece and India for a free, open and rule-based Mediterranean Sea and Indo-Pacific, in accordance with the provisions of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and with full respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and freedom of navigation.
A meeting between the two delegations, meanwhile, established a wide framework for cooperation focused on economy, defense, culture and tourism, as well as agricultural cooperation and climate change.
Mitsotakis set the goal of doubling bilateral trade in the next four years in his opening remarks to the Indian prime minister, signaling the clout assigned by Greece to the world’s fifth largest economy.
Describing India as an “Asian giant,” he said that Greece can serve as Europe’s gateway to India and will also open up opportunities for a transcontinental approach, which would clearly seal an ambitious free trade agreement between India and the European Union.
Modi for his part also highlighted the target of doubling bilateral trade by 2030, and noted an agreement in the field of agricultural production that was signed earlier in the day.
Modi said that “the prime minister and I have decided to upgrade our relationship to a strategic relationship” by strengthening bilateral cooperation, also in the areas of defense and security, infrastructure, new and emerging technologies, as well as promoting skills.
He revealed that it was agreed “in the field of defense and security to strengthen both military relations and our defense industries.”
The Indian leader also stressed that his country wants to facilitate the transfer of skills from one country to another, “and that is why we decided that a mobility and migration agreement will be signed soon.”
