Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Athens this week in what will be the first visit to Greece from an Indian PM in 40 years.
Modi will meet Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on August 25 in a day-long visit after the BRICS Summit in South Africa.
The visit highlights strengthened relations between the two nations, with the last Indian PM to visit Greece being Indira Gandhi in 1983, the first and, to date, only female prime minister of India.
It is expected that several agreements will be signed between the leaders, focussing on various issues, including trade and investment, immigration, culture and defence cooperation and shipping.
Reports indicate that India seek to use the Port of Piraeus, one of Europe’s largest ports, for its European exports.
In an interview with WION, Greek Ambassador to India, Dimitrios Ioannou says Greece will help connect India to the rest of Europe.
“The main idea is that Greece can become the gateway for India to the European Union,” he said.
He explains this will be through two ways, the “physical way”, where all products from India to Europe and vice versa, will go through Greek ports, and through “Indian investments in Greece”.
Talking to other Indian news outlet, The Hindu, Ioannou says Greece welcomes further Indian investments in ports, airports, logistics, renewables, real estate, information technology, agriculture, and pharmaceuticals.
As for military alignment, this has already begun, with India’s participation in two recent joint military drills.
In May, the Indian Air Force participating in a European air force exercise held in Greece and last month, India and Greece held a joint navy exercise in Crete.
In addition to this, Greek fighter jets are expected (for the first time) to participate in an Indian air force drill in September. Military leaders of both countries have also visited the other country.
Ioannou says this will further build trust between both nations, who are both aligned when it comes to world affairs, including the Cyprus issue.
“I think that by this close cooperation we are building a very good feeling of trust between the two militaries because we have a common approach regarding the respect of international law, especially the UNCLOS,” he told WION.
“We are both countries that are going to promote peace and stability in our areas and around the world.
“We highly value and appreciate a very principled stance of India on the Cyprus issue all these years… not only with their participation in the United Nations but also with their diplomatic stance and the support for UNSC resolutions on Cyprus.”
