Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis held bilateral talks at Hyderabad House on Wednesday, as part of the latter’s two-day state visit to India. The two leaders discussed various issues of mutual interest and agreed to enhance cooperation in security, defence, trade, investment, science, technology, cyberspace, education, culture, tourism, and agriculture.
PM Modi welcomed the Greek PM’s visit, the first by a Greek leader in 16 years, and said that it was a historic occasion. He also praised Mitsotakis as a visionary, a principled leader, and a true friend. He expressed happiness over the progress made towards doubling the bilateral trade by 2030 and the signing of memoranda of understanding in crucial areas such as agriculture and defence last year.
PM Modi also welcomed Greece’s active participation and positive role in the Indo-Pacific region and its decision to join the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative. He said that both countries share a common commitment to international law, especially the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas, and to the principles of the UN charter, diplomacy, and stability. He added that the world’s oldest democracy and the world’s largest democracy share the mutual political will to cooperate with each other and to establish partnerships and create new synergies.
Mitsotakis reciprocated the warm sentiments and said that he had found a visionary leader and a true friend in PM Modi. He highlighted the growing cooperation between the two countries in multiple sectors and said that both countries are closer to each other in many respects. He said that both countries share a certain ethos, or Dharm, as India calls it, and that their shared values serve as a bridge that brings them closer.
Mitsotakis also announced that the two countries are working on finalizing a very important agreement on migration and mobility, which will constitute a significant step towards strengthening their cooperation in issues such as legal migration, fighting human trafficking, and offering young Indians an opportunity to come and work in Greece and benefit from the growth of its economy and the prospects for strengthening their connection.
The two leaders also witnessed the exchange of several agreements and MoUs in the fields of culture, education, shipping, renewable energy, and water resources. They also released a joint statement on the outcomes of their meeting and reaffirmed their commitment to further deepen and diversify their bilateral ties.
