India and Greece to boost defence cooperation, finish migration pact

Both countries to double $2 billion bilateral trade by 2030

India and Greece have decided to forge a stronger defence partnership and finish work on a migration and mobility pact.

During his one-day visit to the nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “In the areas of defence and security, India and Greece have agreed on strengthening defence industrial cooperation apart from military ties. We have also decided on an institutional India-Greece dialogue framework at the level of National Security Advisors (NSAs).” 

Both the countries have decided to elevate their ties to the level of strategic partnership.

“Today, India and Greece are cooperating on geopolitical and regional issues,” Modi said at a joint press conference with his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Athens.

Modi was conferred with the Grand Cross of the Order of Honour, Greece’s second highest civilian honour, by the country’s President Katerina N. Sakellaropoulou.

The discussions covered various dimensions of bilateral partnership, including trade and investment, defence, technology, infrastructure, digital payments, shipping, pharma, agriculture, migration and mobility, among other areas, the ministry of external affairs said.

This is the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Greece in 40 years.

Both the leaders also discussed regional and multilateral issues, including those in the European Union (EU), Indo-Pacific and the Mediterranean.
 

Both the countries recently held one of their largest-ever naval joint exercises in Greece. Meanwhile, Greece’s air force chief visited India in June 2023 and met the military brass here.
 

Modi said the migration and mobility partnership will facilitate skilled worker migration between the nations.

“As leaders of two ancient seafaring nations with a long-standing maritime outlook, they shared their vision of a free, open and rules-based Mediterranean Sea and Indo-Pacific. This is in accordance with the law of the sea, in particular the provisions of the UNCLOS and with full respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and freedom of navigation for international peace, stability and security. The Ukraine issue also found its way into the discussions. India and Greece support dialogue and diplomacy on the issue of Ukraine,” Modi said.

Business roundtable

Both sides also held a joint India-Greece business roundtable, with participation from leading Indian and Greek chief executive officers (CEOs) from diverse sectors, including shipping, infrastructure, and energy, among others.
 

During his remarks, the Prime Minister highlighted India’s progress in areas such as renewables, startups, pharma, IT, digital payments and infrastructure.

He acknowledged the role of these industry leaders in promoting economic cooperation between India and Greece. Modi also paid tributes at the ‘Tomb of Unknown Soldier’ in Athens.