Greece and India
Greece’s geographic location, along with its membership of the European Union, make it the ideal country to act as India’s gateway to Europe.
The bilateral relationship between the world’s first and today’s most populous democracy can prove to be mutually beneficial.
An effort to deepen relations should be pursued, not limited to just the sphere of economics but also including defense and security.
Recently the Indian Air Force and Navy participated in a joint exercise with the Hellenic Armed Forces.
Athens is deeply committed to its Western orientation, with an unwavering dedication to Euro-Atlantic institutions, enhanced by a total fulfillment of its obligations and a steadily growing reliability as a partner and ally.
At the same time, and in the context of pursuing its interests, a closer cooperation with the rapidly growing fifth – and soon to be third – largest economy in the world is self-evident.
As two nations with a long-standing maritime outlook, Greece and India are proponents of a rules-based order in the seas – that holds true for both the Aegean and the Mediterranean as well as for the Indo-Pacific – and both highlight the need for respecting the provisions of the Law of the Sea and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi noted in an interview with Kathimerini that in his country “there over 100,000 startups thriving, exports are at unprecedented levels,” adding that “we have always stressed last-mile delivery. And we are delivering even growth to the last mile.” In that context Athens and Delhi share the goal of “value chains linking Indian and Greek companies to the wider EU market.”
For Greece, the mere size of India – from its economy to its clout in the world – offers enormous opportunities in a multitude of sectors. Exploring them should be part of a national strategy.
