On Wednesday, Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis said that strengthening the partnership with India should be a cornerstone of European foreign policy. The comments were made as Mitsotakis inaugurated the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi as the Chief Guest along with Indian PM Narendra Modi.
World Looking at India to Address Global Challenges
Mitsokatis highlighted that India is a great power on the world stage and a rising force at the heart of the G20. “India is now often regarded, and rightly so, as a consensus builder and as a voice of reason in an increasingly polarised world,” he remarked.
#WATCH | At the ninth Raisina Dialogue in Delhi, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis says "...Today, India is a great power on the world stage, an important ally in the pursuit of peace and security, a rising force at the heart of the G20 and a leading player in the fight… pic.twitter.com/olBUBM221a
— ANI (@ANI) February 21, 2024
“India’s status is reflected in the strategic relations that the European Union enjoys with India,” the Greek PM added. He underlined that the partnership between India and Greece is a “partnership between the world’s oldest democracy and the world’s largest democracy.”
The Greek leader explained that there is a need to recognise the strategic importance of India’s role in the evolving new order. He stressed that the world is looking at India like never before when it comes to shaping the direction of global debate and addressing the great challenges of the world. In this regard, he said that India has an important role to play in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Israel-Gaza Conflict Should Not Weaken IMEC
During his address, Mitsotakis hailed the India-Middle East-Europe Economice Corridor (IMEC), saying it would supercharge connectivity between India and the growth economies of the Middle East and Europe. He asserted that while the conflict in Gaza and the Middle East was “undoubtedly destabilising,” it does not undermine the profound logic behind the IMEC.
The “conflict should not weaken our resolve to work tirelessly towards materialising it,” he mentioned. He said that IMEC is a “peace project” at heart and it can bring about stability and prosperity for all participating countries.
Migration and Mobility Agreement
Meanwhile, in his speech, PM Modi said that this was the first visit of a Greek PM to India in 16 years. Mitsotakis arrived in India with a 60-plus-strong delegation and was accorded a ceremonial welcome.
He revealed that the two sides will soon conclude the Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement. Both countries also announced that they would link their defence industries and form a Working Group in the area of defence and security to increase coordination in addressing challenges of defence, cyber security, counter-terrorism and maritime security.
Had a productive meeting with PM @kmitsotakis earlier today. Our talks covered key areas like technology, pharmaceuticals, skill development, space and innovation. We also agreed to boost cooperation in areas like shipping, connectivity and defence. pic.twitter.com/cYzj3OtMHQ
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 21, 2024
Cooperation in Pharma, Tech, Space
Further, during the leaders’ meeting, the two sides agreed to cooperate in the Eastern Mediterranean region. Modi welcomed Greece’s decision to join the Indo-Pacific Oceans initiative. Additionally, India and Greece decided to increase cooperation in the Pharma, Technology, Skill Development and Space sectors, and discussed improving collaboration between the two countries’ higher education institutions.
Connecting the start-ups of both nations was also one of the focuses along with enhancing cooperation in shipping and connectivity. The two sides said that they were rapidly moving towards the target of doubling bilateral trade by 2030.
Modi became the first Indian PM to visit Greece in the last 40 years with his visit to the country last August. During the visit, the two countries had elevated their ties to a “Strategic Partnership.”