Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis on Tuesday laid the groundwork for the next day’s visit to New Delhi by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, as Athens aims to further cultivate prospects for greater cooperation and trade with India – now reportedly the world’s most populous nation.
In addressing the second conference of the Confederation of Indian Industry, entitled “India Europe Business & Sustainability Conclave,” the Greek FM expressed his conviction that the India Middle East Europe Corridor (IMEC) will benefit all sides and keenly interests Athens.
“Greece aspires to be an integral part of this visionary project, being the gateway of India to the EU. This ambitious connectivity project will enhance the strategic importance of the regions involved, both economically and geopolitically and promote peace and stability.”
Mitsotakis’ reciprocal visit on Wednesday comes after a historic visit to Athens last summer by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and conveys the center-right Greek government’s strong interest in boosting bilateral relations to a more strategic level.
Gerapetritis earlier met with his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, telling the conference audience that the latter, a distinguished career diplomat, has “offered his best offices to build a strong relationship between Greece and India, a strategic partnership, based on common values and principles: democracy, peace, justice, respect for international law and a rules-based international order.”
In continuing, the Greek minister added: “We are living in a unique moment of transition; India as a member of the BRICS and, during its G20 Presidency, has emerged as the voice of the Global South. We need this loud voice in multilateral diplomacy, to offer its good services to raise concerns, promote understanding between North and South, and provide a sober view of the East to the West.”
Gerapetritis arrived on the Indian subcontinent accompanied by Deputy Minister Kostas Fragogiannis, who holds the foreign investments portfolio, and more than 100 Greek businesspeople.
