In a telephone conversation, both leaders discussed ways to enhance bilateral cooperation in areas such as trade, Defence, shipping, and connectivity.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Greek counterpart reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the India-Greece Strategic Partnership after Kyriakos Mitsotakis called up his Indian counterpart.
In a telephone conversation, both leaders discussed ways to enhance bilateral cooperation in areas such as trade, Defence, shipping, and connectivity.
The two leaders appreciated the momentum in bilateral ties following recent high-level exchanges and discussed progress in several key areas of cooperation, including initiatives for enhanced maritime connectivity, according to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Saturday.
Greek PM Mitsotakis congratulated PM Modi on his re-election following the Lok Sabha polls in June, expressing optimism for the future of India-Greece relations.
PM Modi posted about the conversation on his X handle, stating, “Yesterday, had a productive conversation with PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis, reaffirming our shared commitment to strengthening the India-Greece Strategic Partnership. Together, we aim to deepen our collaboration across trade, Defence, shipping, and connectivity. Greece is a valued partner for India within the EU as well.”
During the conversation, progress in a number of areas of bilateral cooperation, including trade, Defence, shipping and connectivity, was also discussed in a follow-up to PM Mitsotakis’ visit to India earlier this year.
The PMO statement added that both leaders also reviewed developments regarding the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) and exchanged views on regional and global issues, particularly developments in West Asia.
Earlier this year, the Greek PM visited India, participating as the chief guest at the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi, which is India’s flagship conference on geopolitics and geo-economics.
During this visit, the two leaders focussed on the importance of connectivity, both maritime connectivity and partnership through corridors — particularly the IMEC.
The discussions on IMEC took place in the larger context of stronger connectivity between India and Greece and looked at all possible options that would strengthen this connectivity.
Many primary schools and nurseries across the country have been told to close for two days. Greece is one of the European countries most affected by the climate crisis…reports Asian Lite News
Greece has shut the site of the ancient Acropolis to tourists, closed schools and stationed medics across Athens as it faces the first heatwave of the summer.
Temperatures were expected to hit 43 degrees Celsius (109.4 degrees Fahrenheit) on Wednesday and Thursday in parts of the Mediterranean country, driven by southerly winds bringing hot air and dust from North Africa.
The Acropolis hill, which includes the Parthenon temple and is one of the world’s most famous archaeological sites, was closed from noon to 5pm (09:00-14:00 GMT) on Wednesday, and Red Cross staff handed out bottles of water to tourists.
Many primary schools and nurseries across the country have been told to close for two days. Greece is one of the European countries most affected by the climate crisis.
Last year, rising temperatures fuelled deadly wildfires, and erratic rains caused some of the worst flooding on record, both of which damaged crops and livelihoods.
Similar conditions were seen last year across much of southern Europe, including Portugal, France, Spain and Italy where fires led to dozens of deaths. In Greece, fires began earlier than expected this year, including one in March.
Firefighters and police were patrolling forests from air and land on Wednesday, ahead of what is expected to be a windy end to the week, raising the risk of fires spreading.
After last year’s destructive wildfires, including on the island of Rhodes, which prompted the biggest evacuation in peacetime, Greece has scaled up its preparations by hiring more staff and stepping up training.
Drones with thermal cameras were being used in Athens to coordinate the public health response, officials said.
Modi said new opportunities were explored during his meeting ranging from agriculture, pharma, medical devices, technologies, innovation, skill development, and space…reports Asian Lite News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the visit of Greece Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to India reflected the strengthening of the strategic partnership between the two countries.
He stated that the growing cooperation in the defence and security sectors reflects deep mutual trust between the two nations.
In a joint press statement after holding bilateral and delegation level talks here with his Greek counterpart, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that both countries have agreed to take their bilateral trade to two times by the year 2030.
PM Modi said, “I am happy to welcome PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis and his delegation to India. After my visit to Greece last year, his visit to India is a symbol of the strengthening strategic partnership between the two countries. The visit of the Greek PM to India after 16 years is a historic occasion.”
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Union Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakashi Lekhi, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra were among others who were present in the delegation level talks.
Terming his discussions with Kyriakos Mitsotakis “meaningful and useful”, Modi said that the two nations are rapidly heading towards doubling bilateral trade by 2030. He expressed happiness that India and Greece are taking steps to implement the agreements reached in this area in 2023.
Modi said new opportunities were explored during his meeting ranging from agriculture, pharma, medical devices, technologies, innovation, skill development, and space.
PM Modi said, “Our discussions today were very meaningful and useful. It is a matter of happiness that we are rapidly heading towards doubling bilateral trade by 2030. We identified several new opportunities to give new energy and direction to our cooperation. There are many possibilities for closer cooperation between the two countries in the field of agriculture.”
He added, “And I am pleased that both sides are taking steps to implement the agreements reached in this area last year. We emphasized on increasing cooperation in many areas like pharma, medical devices, technology, innovation, skill development, and space.”
He said shipping and connectivity are the highest priority areas and discussed increasing cooperation in these areas with the Greek PM. PM Modi noted that India and Greece have common concerns and priorities in the fight against terrorism.
PM Modi said, “We also discussed connecting the start-ups of both countries. Shipping and connectivity are topics of high priority for both the countries. We also discussed increasing cooperation in these areas.”
Announcing the formation of a Working Group between India and Greece for defence and security, he said, “The growing cooperation in defence and security reflects our deep mutual trust. With the formation of a Working Group in this area, we will be able to increase mutual coordination on common challenges like defence, cyber security, counter-terrorism, and maritime security.”
He said, “New opportunities for co-production and co-development are being created in defence manufacturing in India, which can be beneficial for both the countries. We have agreed to connect the defence industries of both the countries. India and Greece have common concerns and priorities in the fight against terrorism. We discussed in detail how to further strengthen our cooperation in this area.”
He noted that India and Greece have a long history of deep cultural and people-to-people ties.
PM Modi stated that people of both nations have been exchanging trade and cultural ties as well as ideas.
He said, “As two ancient and great civilizations, India and Greece have a long history of deep cultural and people-to-people ties. For almost two and a half thousand years, people of both the countries have been exchanging trade and cultural relations as well as ideas.”
“Today we identified several new initiatives to give a modern form to these relations. We discussed concluding the Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement between the two countries as soon as possible. This will further strengthen our people-to-people relations,” PM Modi said.
This is the first bilateral Head of State or Government level visit from Greece to India after 15 years. The last Prime Ministerial visit from Greece to India took place in 2008. (ANI)
Our ties can serve as anchor, says Jaishankar
Highlighting India’s burgeoning global presence, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar emphasised the nation’s growing interest in the Mediterranean region during his closing remarks at the Raisina Dialogue’s inaugural event on Wednesday.
Jaishankar’s observations underscored the pivotal role the India-Greece partnership plays in shaping the nation’s upward trajectory on the international stage.
“India’s growing interest in the Mediterranean region is an important facet of our steady rise. The India-Greece partnership can surely serve as an anchor,” he said while extending the vote of thanks following Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis remarks at the dialogue.
The Greek PM was the keynote speaker and chief guest of the inaugural session of the Raisina Dialogue.
Further drawing attention to the unique platform of the Raisina Dialogue, Jaishankar credited the event’s success to its diverse participants. Describing it as a “Made in India version of a Global Public Square,” he emphasised how the dialogue has evolved into its current stature due to the collective efforts of the participants, transforming it into a hub of global discourse.
EAM Jaishankar thanked the chief guest, PM Mitsotakis of Greece, and his wife for their participation. He commended the Greek PM for delivering an inspirational and thought-provoking address, especially highlighting the resonance of his message on democracies that deliver, which holds particular significance in the current global context.
EAM Jaishankar further stated that the key regional issues are very much in tune with our strategic partnership….reports Asian Lite News
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday exchanged views on key regional issues with Greece’s National Security Advisor Athanasios Ntokos.
EAM Jaishankar further stated that the key regional issues are very much in tune with our strategic partnership.
“Delighted to meet NSA Dr. Athanasios Ntokos of Greece. An exchange of views on key regional issues, very much in tune with our strategic partnership,” Jaishankar posted on social media ‘X’.
Earlier in December last year, Greece’s Ambassador to India Dimitrios Ioannou said that India has a lot to offer to Greece and vice versa as there are certain complementaries between the two nations.
Highlighting the ties between the two nations, Ioannou noted that the relations between India and Greece have always remained “very good” but added that there was a sentimental affinity there. He called Greece a gateway for India to Europe.
He stated that Greece offers a lot of opportunities for Indians to come and invest in Greece and added that Greek cities like Athens and Thessaloniki can become the next Dubai for Indians in the future.
In August last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi travelled to Greece for his maiden visit to Greece at the invitation of his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
He was the first Indian Prime Minister in the last 40 years to visit Greece. The last prime ministerial visit from India to Greece was in 1983.
In modern times, the two countries have developed a warm relationship based on a common commitment to democracy, peace and development in the world and to a social system imbued with principles of justice and equality, The Ministry of External Affairs highlighted.
Moreover, India and Greece share common approaches to many international issues, such as UN reforms and Cyprus.
Additionally, Greece sees India to be a good potential economic and commercial partner. (ANI)
Projections indicate that Greece’s data centre market will reach US$1.218 billion by 2028 from $735 million in 2022, growing at a compound annual growth rate of approximately 9 percent…reports Asian Lite News
The Ministry of Investment of the UAE and the Ministry of Digital Governance of the Hellenic Republic have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to create a framework for investments in digital infrastructure with a focus on data centre projects in Greece.
The agreement was signed by Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi, UAE Minister of Investment, and Dimitris Papastergiou, Minister of Digital Governance of the Hellenic Republic.
Data centres to be developed under this agreement can reach a total capacity of 500 megawatts. The data centre market in Greece has witnessed significant growth in recent years, largely driven by the country’s Digital Transformation Strategy 2020-2025, which aims to facilitate the transformation of companies across the Hellenic Republic into digital enterprises and incorporate digital technologies across its economic sectors.
Projections indicate that Greece’s data centre market will reach US$1.218 billion by 2028 from $735 million in 2022, growing at a compound annual growth rate of approximately 9 percent.
With 15 data centres, Greece is set to expand its data infrastructure with an additional 139 megawatts of power capacity from new data centres planned for development over the next five years. This positions the country to become the largest data hub in Southeast Europe and the second largest in the Mediterranean by 2028.
Furthermore, Greece benefits from a network of over ten submarine cables linking the country to crucial global markets, further reinforced by multiple inland internet exchange points, resulting in significantly enhanced connectivity, reliability and an increased appeal for businesses seeking efficient and dependable data exchange.
The MoU between the UAE and Greece focuses on forging effective collaboration by building relationships between public and private organisations. The agreement additionally proposes the implementation of incentives to support pertinent initiatives and aims to facilitate the exchange of knowledge.
Alsuwaidi said, “The signing of this agreement strengthens the growing bilateral economic ties between our two nations and denotes a shared vision that recognises the crucial role of technology and data processing in shaping a digital economy. The planned investments in data centre projects in Greece are set to contribute to the country’s rapidly growing digital infrastructure and provide businesses with additional opportunities to reap the benefits of digitisation.”
Papastergiou, in turn, commented, “Greece is on track to implementing the government’s strategic priority in establishing the country as a technological leader in the SE European region. The Ministry of Digital Governance is committed to fulfilling the Prime Minister’s vision of making Greece an attractive innovation hub, open to investments and geared towards flourishing the local technological ecosystem through strategic partnerships.”
He added that the agreement signed today is a testament to the government’s commitment to solidifying Greece as a hub for international data transfers, multiplying the impact of technological innovation on the country’s development trajectory while strengthening international collaboration.
The MoU was signed against the backdrop of a growing strategic partnership between the UAE and Greece. In 2022, the two countries announced a EUR 4 billion ($4.2 billion) fund to invest in the Greek economy. This was succeeded by a notable surge in non-oil trade between the nations, with a value of nearly $572 million in 2021, reflecting 67 percent growth compared to the previous year.
Australia stopped short of committing its warships to the alliance but said on Thursday it would send 11 military personnel to support the mission…reports Asian Lite News
Greece will send a warship to support a United States-led naval coalition in the Red Sea, becoming the latest country to join the alliance to counter threats from Yemen’s Houthis.
Defence Minister Nikos Dendias announced the move in a televised address on Thursday, saying Greece, as a major shipping nation, has a “fundamental interest” in addressing the “massive threat” to maritime transport.
The naval task force, announced by the US on Tuesday, initially listed 10 member nations to help patrol the waters to deter the Iran-aligned Houthis, who have attacked more than a dozen vessels they claim were linked to Israel amid the war on Gaza.
The Houthis say they will halt their attacks only if Israel’s “crimes in Gaza stop”.
The original members of the Red Sea task force – called Operation Prosperity Guardian – include the United Kingdom, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain.
Since then, Denmark has also joined the alliance, according to the Reuters news agency. Meanwhile, the European Union member states have agreed to contribute through the European Naval Force.
Australia stopped short of committing its warships to the alliance but said on Thursday it would send 11 military personnel to support the mission.
Despite the Western show of force, the Houthis have promised to continue their attacks on vessels travelling to or from Israel for as long as the Gaza war goes on, saying operations will not cease even if the US mobilises “the entire world”.
On Wednesday, Houthi leader Abdel-Malik al-Houthi warned the group would not hesitate to strike US warships if Washington targeted it.
“We will not stand idly by if the Americans are tempted to escalate further and commit foolishness by targeting our country or waging war against it,” al-Houthi said in a televised speech.
“Any American targeting of our country will be targeted by us, and we will make American battleships, interests, and navigation a target for our missiles, drones, and military operations,” he added.
In recent months, Houthi drone attacks and attempted hijackings have pushed more than a dozen shipping firms to suspend operations in the Red Sea, through which 12 percent of all global trade passes.
On Thursday, the foreign minister of Egypt, which has not formally joined the maritime coalition, said countries on the Red Sea have a responsibility to protect the contentious waters and that Cairo would do its part to ensure “freedom of navigation”.
“We continue to cooperate with many of our partners to provide suitable conditions for the freedom of navigation in the Red Sea,” said Sameh Shoukry at a news conference.
Lawmakers in the 300-member parliament voted 262 in favour of the law — despite grumbling from the governing New Democracy’s right wing and with the backing of leftwing opposition parties…reports Asian Lite News
Greece’s parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a new legislation that will grant tens of thousands of undocumented migrants residence and work permits amid a shortage of unskilled labour.
The law drafted by the centre-right government links the right to residence with proof of employment. According to the labour ministry, it will affect some 30,000 people, many of them agricultural labourers.
The United Nations migration and refugee agencies praised the new law, which applies to migrants who have been living in Greece without residence permits for at least three years up to the end of November. It will not cover later arrivals.
Lawmakers in the 300-member parliament voted 262 in favour of the law — despite grumbling from the governing New Democracy’s right wing and with the backing of leftwing opposition parties.
New Democracy had threatened to expel any of its lawmakers who didn’t back the measures — making a single exception for a former prime minister who had strongly criticised the bill.
Speaking after the vote, Migration Minister Dimitris Kairidis praised the cross-party consensus, saying it would help address market demand for less skilled workers. He said the government seeks to blend “strict border controls and fighting (migrant trafficking) with facilitating legal migration” according to Greece’s needs.
He said the new law would not allow for illegal gain of Greek citizenship or family reunification rights, and the permits would be contingent on migrants’ continued employment.
In a joint statement, the International Organisation for Migration and the UNHCR described the bill as “a positive example of political will to lift the barriers that render people invisible and marginalised”.
The statement said it would benefit Greece’s economy while protecting migrants from exploitation by legalising their employment. The two agencies also hailed the provision that reduces the wait from six to two months for asylum-seekers who want to enter the Greek labour market.
Located in the European Union’s southeastern corner on the Mediterranean Sea, Greece remains a key entry point for people seeking a better life in the EU. Most cross in small boats from neighbouring Turkey to Greece’s eastern Aegean islands.
Despite a drastic drop in arrivals from the peak of nearly 1 million in 2015, some 45,000 people reached Greece so far this year, the highest number in four years. While many are granted legal residence as refugees, others remain illegally in the country for years, blending into the gray economy.
In June, hundreds of people are believed to have died after a battered trawler carrying up to 750 people from Libya to Italy foundered off southwestern Greece.
The Mediterranean’s deadliest shipwreck in living memory occurred on April 18, 2015, when an overcrowded fishing boat collided off Libya with a freighter trying to come to its rescue. Only 28 people survived. Forensic experts concluded that there were originally 1,100 people on board.
European Union flags fly outside the European Commission building in Brussels, Belgium, on June 9, 2021. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong/IANS)
Greek ministry officials emphasized the vital role of European funds, constituting over 80 percent of Greece’s public investments, in driving the country’s economic recovery and growth prospects….reports Asian Lite News
Greece will receive financial support totaling some €55 billion ($58.22 billion) from the European Union (EU) over the next four to six years, Greek Deputy Minister of National Economy and Finance Nikos Papathanasis said on Tuesday.
Greek ministry officials emphasized the vital role of European funds, constituting over 80 percent of Greece’s public investments, in driving the country’s economic recovery and growth prospects.
Reviewing the effect of EU funding on the Greek economy in recent years, Papathanasis told a press briefing that “the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) program for 2014-2020 held a critical role in the growth of Greek economy … During the period 2019-2023 we tripled the absorption rates of funds compared to the previous four years.”
“In 2019, the absorption rate was 24.5 percent and today we have reached 88 percent (and by year-end will be 100 percent). We are ranking third among EU member states regarding absorption rates of EU funds,” he added.
The absorption rate signifies the percentage of the total amount allocated or committed in the EU budget to a specific member state that has been disbursed or absorbed by that member state for various projects, programs or initiatives.
Regarding the NSRF 2021-2027 program with over 26 billion euros to be allocated to Greece, the minister said that his country is leading across the EU in absorption rates for this program.
European funding from NSRF programs, the Recovery and Resilience Fund (RRF) and other sources, is fundamental to materialize necessary reforms, invest in infrastructure, support businesses and households and address new challenges, according to ministry officials.
In the wake of recent destructive forest fires and floods during the summer and autumn, which initial estimates suggest have cost Greece over 2 billion euros, RRF-funded projects worth at least 686 million euros will be implemented in the coming weeks and months to reconstruct bridges, restore the railway network and roads, Papathanasis said.
The destructive major wildfires of this summer and the deadly floods last week have led to a radical redrawing of policies for the future…reports Asian Lite News
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has outlined the government’s policy priorities for the coming months at a trade fair in Thessaloniki in northern Greece.
Delivering a speech on Saturday during the 87th Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF), he announced a series of measures aimed at strengthening the public healthcare system, accelerating the delivery of justice, combating tax evasion, and improving the prevention and response mechanism to natural disasters, Xinhua news agency reported.
The destructive major wildfires of this summer and the deadly floods last week have led to a radical redrawing of policies for the future, Mitsotakis said, according to Greek national broadcaster ERT.
“What the state and citizens have lost, will be recovered and we will work together… We will do our best so that this unequal battle with the climate crisis does not become a lost battle,” he added.
Based on the current strength of the national economy, Mitsotakis announced new increases in pensions and wages in the private sector as of January 1, 2024.
He also promised to support vulnerable households to cope with increased energy costs and to keep prices of basic products low.
The Indo-Pacific region and the Mediterranean Sea remain two maritime areas of immediate interest for India and Greece – the formulation also aligning with India’s position on the South China Sea disputes and guranteeing a free and open Indo-Pacific, a report by Ateet Sharma
Opening a new chapter in their more than 2500-year-old relationship, India and Greece on Friday elevated bilateral relationship to the level of a strategic partnership, with an eye on rebooting political, security and economic ties.
The decision was taken during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s one-day visit to the Mediterranean country – the first by an Indian Prime Minister in 40 years – and his one-on-one and delegation-level talks with Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Athens.
The Joint Statement issued after their meeting mentioned that the both leaders, while acknowledging the shared historical linkages going back to antiquity, agreed that a “reenergised approach” to enhancing bilateral relationship is required at a time when the global order is undergoing unprecedented changes.
“Held very fruitful talks with Greece Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Athens. We have decided to raise our bilateral relations to a ‘Strategic Partnership’ for the benefit of our people. Our talks covered sectors such as defence, security, infrastructure, agriculture, skills and more,” tweeted PM Modi after direct talks.
In June 2021, IndiaNarrative.com spotlighted that after facing an identical and serious challenge from their respective neighbouring countries, India and Greece have begun work towards the establishment of a strategic partnership, opening up new perspectives for the consolidation and upgrading of relations between both the countries in a number of areas of common interest.
PM Modi at a business lunch hosted by the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis at Athens, in Greece on August 25, 2023.
In the post-Covid era, Greece not only supports India’s quest for a permanent seat in an expanded UN Security Council but also reflects New Delhi’s concerns on terrorism sponsored and supported from across the border in Jammu and Kashmir.
On the other hand, Athens has thanked India for the special and constructive role it has undertaken over time on its issue of core national interest, such as Cyprus.
Greece has for the past many years slammed Turkey for violating the International Law and the Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in the Aegean and in the Eastern Mediterranean. It has also accused Ankara of violating the sovereign rights of Greece by carrying hundreds of flights over the Greek territory.
The Indo-Pacific region and the Mediterranean Sea thus remain two maritime areas of immediate interest for India and Greece – the formulation also aligning with India’s position on the South China Sea disputes and guranteeing a free and open Indo-Pacific.
“We agreed that we are fully united in the goal of maintaining maritime security, in our adherence to International Law and the Convention on the Law of the Sea – a crucial field given the common facts that concern both the Eastern Mediterranean and the Indo-Pacific Ocean,” said Mitsotakis with PM Modi standing by his side in Athens on Friday.
Building on the security ties, the two leaders indicated that a National Security Advisor (NSA)-level dialogue platform could soon be established between India and Greece.
Calling his meeting with PM Modi “a new starting point” in the relations between the two countries, the Greece leader reflected that it is a very important moment in the common path and ties that have united both countries for many centuries – from the ancient trade routes and the march of Alexander the Great to the philosophical quests that shaped cultures.
“There is, moreover, a very dynamic Indian community, which lives peacefully and works in our country. I saw that many of them greeted you with great enthusiasm this morning when you arrived at the hotel, for I have no doubt that your state now possesses the size of a veritable Asiatic giant. Ours, however, is the dynamic gateway, the eastern gateway of Europe, a huge opportunity for India, as the continental European country closest to this great economic superpower,” remarked Mitsotakis.
PM Modi and Mitsotakis also emphasised that deepening relations between India and the European Union would be mutually beneficial and have a positive regional and global impact.
Noting that India and the EU have the largest democratic and free market space in the world, the two PMs expressed their strong support for the ongoing India-EU trade and investment negotiations and the early implementation of the India-EU Connectivity Partnership.
Hoping for an early finalisation of a mutually beneficial Mobility and Migration Partnership Agreement (MMPA) that would facilitate free movement of workforce between the two countries, both leaders directed their senior officials to ensure regular dialogue in the areas including political, economic, defence, security and public diplomacy.
