New Delhi: India and Greece on Friday, August 25, took their relationship to the status of a strategic partnership, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis affirmed their commitment to invigorate the connection with a renewed focus on maritime security and trade.Modi arrived in Athens early on Friday morning in a direct flight from Johannesburg where he had attended the BRICS summit. Held very fruitful talks with @PrimeministerGR @kmitsotakis 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. pic.twitter.com/guOk4Byzqk— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 25, 2023At a joint press appearance, Mitsotakis reminded reporters that this was the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister since Indira Gandhi visited in September 1983.Both of them together announced that the relationship has now been upgraded to a strategic partnership.“Today, the Prime Minister and I have decided to upgrade our relationship to a Strategic Relationship. We have decided to strengthen our Strategic Relationship by strengthening our cooperation in the fields of defence and security, infrastructure, agricultural production, education, new and emerging technologies, as well as skills promotion,” said PM Modi.Security and defenceThe Greek leader said that both sides agreed that they 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 critical area given the common facts that concern both the Eastern Mediterranean and the Indo-Pacific Ocean”.Mitsotakis also conveyed that both parties had agreed to establish an institutional dialogue framework between India and Greece, led by their national security advisors.Modi noted that both nations have additionally set a target for doubling growth in bilateral trade by 2030. They have also agreed to expedite the creation of a migration and mobility partnership agreement, aimed at facilitating skilled migration between the two countries.“We have decided to boost cooperation in areas of defence and security, infrastructure, education, new and emerging technologies, and agriculture,” he said.He said both sides are also focused on enhancing cooperation to combat terrorism.In the area of defence and security, both the countries agreed on strengthening defence industrial cooperation apart from military ties, he added.UkraineThe Ukraine issue was publicly raised by the Greek prime minister, who said that the conflict and the current period of international turmoil “makes it even more imperative to observe the Charter of the United Nations”.Addressing the Ukraine crisis, Modi stated that India and Greece advocate for the resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy.He also thanked Greece and President Katerina N. Sakellaropoulou for awarding him the Grand Cross of the Order of Honour.
