ATHENS: Today India A Great Power, Leading Democracy In Global South”: Greek PM

ATHENS: Praising India over its assertive global role, Grecian Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis recently said New Delhi is a great power on the world stage and an important ally in the pursuit of peace and security.

In his address on the inaugural day of the ninth Raisina Dialogue, a calendar event in the national capital which he graced as the chief guest, the Greek PM also spoke glowingly of the bilateral partnership saying that it binds the two nations closer than before.

“Today, India is a great power on the world stage, an important ally in the pursuit of peace and security, a rising force at the heart of the G20, and a leading player in the fight against climate change,” the Greek PM said, adding, “I want Prime Minister Modi to go further strengthening our partnership with India and I’m speaking about Europe should be a cornerstone of Europe’s foreign policy and this is certainly true for my country.”

Labelling the ties between India and Greece as a partnership between the world’s oldest and the largest democracies, Mr Mitsotakis said, “Today is a moment to both, reflect upon and celebrate the strength of a partnership between our two nations. A partnership between two allies, two countries that share similar values. A partnership that today binds us closer than ever before. A partnership between the world’s oldest democracy and the world’s largest democracy.”

Further calling India a leading democracy in the Global South, the Greek PM also spoke highly of the country’s growth story, saying, “I touched a little earlier on the growing importance of India’s role on the international stage. It is the leading democracy in the Global South. When it comes to shaping the direction of the global debate and addressing the great challenges, India is often regarded as, and rightly so, as a consensus builder.”

Describing India as an example for the world as he touched on the conduct of elections in the country, the Greek PM said, “Elections here in India, convincingly challenge any flawed notion that significant scale is a barrier to democracy. You are an example to the world. An example which should be celebrated, a demonstration of how democracy can deliver stronger economic growth.”

He said Greece has excellent relations with all countries, especially those that rank among the least developed ones.

“Greece has excellent relations with all countries in the least developed countries and is uniquely placed as a connector between and the Indo-Pacific. It presents so much opportunity for both our countries. We are already a well-established logistics sector as a national gateway but we want to increase connectivity in recent years is one of the busiest ports in Europe more of our ports are in the process of the environment as we check on something which is absolutely critical also for Indian control of the largest merchant marine retreat,” Mitsotakis said in his address.

Mitsotakis arrived in the national capital on Tuesday and was received by Union Minister of State for External Affairs, Meenakashi Lekhi.

The Grecian PM is currently on a two-day State visit to India.

Posting from his official handle on X, the official spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal wrote, “Warm welcome to PM @kmitsotakis of the Hellenic Republic as he arrives in New Delhi on his first State Visit to India. Received by MoS @M_Lekhiat the airport. PM Mitsotakis is the Chief Guest and Keynote Speaker at #RaisinaDialogue2024.”

Notably, this marks 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.

PM Modi, too, visited Athens on August 25, last year.