India and Greece plan to double their bilateral trade by 2030, announced Prime Minister Modi during his official visit to the country on Friday. The bilateral trade stood at nearly $2 billion in 2022-23.
India mainly exports aluminum, organic chemicals, fish and crustaceans and iron and steel to Greece, among other things. Meanwhile, Greece’s top exports to India are minerals fuels, mineral oils and products, sulphur and aluminium foil.
Both sides will also sign a migration and mobility agreement to improve the flow of people and talent between the two countries. Mint had reported on this development in August. The two countries also agreed to elevate bilateral ties to the level of a “strategic partnership”.
Prime Minister Modi also met with his counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of Greece, for leader-level talks.
“The discussions covered various dimensions of the bilateral partnership, including trade and investment, defense and security, technology, infrastructure, digital payments, shipping, pharma, agriculture, migration and mobility, tourism, skill development, culture, education and people to people ties. They also discussed regional and multilateral issues, including the EU, Indo-Pacific and the Mediterranean. They called for respect of international law, sovereignty and territorial integrity,” according to a press release from the Ministry of External Affairs.
Prime Minister Modi also met with Greece’s President Katerina N. Sakellaropoulou.
India and Greece have enjoyed a close relationship for years.
“Following India’s nuclear tests in May 1998, when most Western countries were contemplating sanctions against India, the Greek Defence Minister visited India in December, 1998 (first Defence Minister from a NATO country to visit India after the tests) and signed a MOU on Defence Cooperation,” according to the Embassy of India in Greece.
The country has also refrained from taking a diplomatic position on controversial issues in India’s domestic politics.
Source : Mint
