After wrapping up an eventful BRICS Summit in South Africa, Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in Greece on Friday, 25 August for an official visit on the invitation of his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis..
PM Modi would be the first Indian Prime Minister to visit the country in 40 years. Notably, in September 1983, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi undertook an official visit to Greece.
Indian diaspora gathered outside Hotel Grande Bretagne in Athens warmly greets PM Modi on his arrival in Greece, reports PTI.
PM Modi in his departure statement on Tuesday said, "From South Africa, I will travel to Athens, Greece on 25 August 2023 at the invitation of H.E. Mr. Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of Greece. This will be my first visit to this ancient land. I have the honour to be the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Greece after 40 years."
He further added, "Contacts between our two civilizations stretch back over two millennia. In modern times, our ties have been strengthened by shared values of democracy, rule of law and pluralism. Cooperation in diverse sectors such as trade and investment, defence, and cultural and people-to-people contacts have been bringing our two countries closer.
I look forward to my visit to Greece opening a new chapter in our multifacted relationship."
Visit to Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and Bilateral Talks
PM Modi began his engagements by paying tribute to the Tomb of unknown soldiers, a war memorial located in Syntagma Square in Athens.
Located in front of the Old Royal Palace, PM Modi laid a wreath at the tomb, dedicated to the Greek soldiers killed during various wars and was then accorded a ceremonial Guard of Honour.
Subsequently, he began with a packed day of engagements beginning with President Sakellaropoulou, during which Modi emphasised that the success of Chandrayaan-3 transcends India's victory and said that the data gathered from the mission would benefit the global scientific community and mankind at large.
Modi also met his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis and discussed ways to further deepen bilateral relations.
Highlights from PM Modi's Press Address
"Greece and India are a natural match between two ancient civilisations of the world, between two ancient democratic ideologies and between two ancient trade and cultural relations. The foundation of our relationship is ancient and strong..."
"After a long gap of 40 years, an Indian Prime Minister has come to Greece. Still, the depth and warmth of our relations have not decreased. So, the (Greek) PM and I have decided to take India-Greece relations to a strategic level," PM Modi said.
"We have decided to increase our cooperation in the areas of defence & security, infrastructure, agriculture, education, new & emerging technology and skill development and strengthen our strategic partnership," PM Modi added.
Top Points from Modi's Diaspora Address
"Greece-India relations go back centuries. These are relations of civilisation, of culture...Both of us have learnt a lot from each other, we have also taught a lot to each other."
"Today, I express my sympathies to the people of Greece. When the forest fires started here, it became a major crisis. Several people in Greece died. In this hour of crisis, India stands with the people of Greece."
"You saw that the Govt of Greece honoured me with the highest civilian award of Greece. All of you deserve this honour, the 140 crore Indians deserve this honour. I dedicate this honour to the children of Maa Bharati."
"By hoisting the Tiranga (on the moon), we have made the world aware of India's capabilities. Congratulatory messages are pouring in from across the world...The social media is full of congratulatory messages. When the achievement is this big, its celebration also continues. Your faces say that wherever you might be in the world, India beats in your heart...I congratulate you once again on the grand success of Chandrayaan-3..."
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