Synopsis
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s imminent visit to Athens on August 25 represents a historic juncture, symbolizing the first such official visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Greece in a span of four decades. The forthcoming visit holds the promise of fostering an even stronger bond between the two nations as Prime Minister Modi engages in substantive discussions with his Greek counterpart, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
Their deliberations will span an array of domains, encompassing defence, trade, investment, tourism, and the robust interaction of people from both lands. Beyond diplomatic dialogues, Prime Minister Modi will connect with the business community and engage with the vibrant Indian diaspora residing in Greece.
Against the backdrop of a shared civilizational legacy that spans millennia, this visit serves as a pivotal milestone, propelling India and Greece towards new pinnacles of strategic partnership, reaffirming the enduring bonds that unite their histories, aspirations, and mutual undertakings.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s imminent visit to Athens on August 25 holds historical significance as it marks the first such visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Greece
in four decades. The anticipation for this momentous event is underscored by Prime Minister Modi’s remarks: “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.” During his visit to Greece, Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to engage in high-level talks with Prime
Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, focusing on strategies to deepen the bilateral relationship between India and Greece. Prime Minister Modi will interact with prominent business
leaders also from both nations and connect with the thriving Indian community residing in Greece.
India and Greece share an ancient and profound civilizational bond that stretches back more than 2,500 years. This enduring connection has been forged through extensive
trade, vibrant cultural exchanges, and deep-rooted historical interactions, leaving an indelible imprint on both cultures. The tangible evidence of this rich heritage can be found
in historical artefacts such as coins and writings, which bear witness to the enduring trade relations between the Mauryan kings of India and their Greek counterparts.
The landmark expedition led by Alexander the Great in 326 BC reached as far as the Beas River, resulting in encounters with Indian rulers like Raja Puru and King Ambhi. This historical interplay is further illustrated by Kautilya’s Arthashastra, which mentions Megasthenes, the Greek ambassador to the Mauryan court, and Megasthenes himself mentions the Mauryan dynasty and other aspects of Indian life of that time in his work Indika.
1 In the contemporary period, India and Greece traditionally had a long-standing friendly and warm relationship. The diplomatic relations between India and Greece were
established in 1950, and over the last seven decades, the relationship has progressed smoothly in a seamless manner.
Greece and India have consistently supported each other on their respective core issues like those related to Cyprus and Jammu & Kashmir. For example, Greece has been a
steadfast supporter of India’s demand for a permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). Greece also lent its support to India at the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) in 2008 as well as in the 2016, Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), WASSENAAR Group, Australia Group and thereafter India’s candidature for various UN bodies such as the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the International Maritime Organisation (IMO),
World heritage Committee, among others.
2 The two countries also hold pivotal importance geopolitically. As far as Eurasian geopolitics is concerned, Greece is a key player. Greece supports India’s foreign policy
outlook including its avowed proposition of a multipolar world. India, on the other hand, seconds Greece’s assertion of adhering to a rules-based order, international law, regional security, as well as international terrorism.
3 The two countries have been looking to build upon strategic synergies in the prevailing as well as an evolving geopolitical scenario, especially India as the core state of this
emerging global order, and Greece as an essential partner in the Mediterranean region
1 Arora, S., Ancient India and Ancient Greece: An exploration of the historical connections, November 3,
2022, The Diplomatist, https://diplomatist.com/2022/11/03/ancient-india-and-ancient-greece-anexploration-of-the-historical-connections/ accessed on August 19, 2023.
2 Web desk, India and Greece form closer ties after 2400 years of the Indo-Greek empire, September 20,
2022, Tornos News, https://www.tornosnews.gr/en/tourism-businesses/markets/47611-india-andgreece-form-closer-ties-after-2400-years-of-indo-greek-empire.html accessed on August 19, 2023..
3 Staff, India-Greece Bilateral Relationship, Hellenic Republic MFA, https://www.mfa.gr/en/blog/greecebilateral-relations/india/ accessed on August 20, 2023.
along with being a member of both the NATO and the EU.
India seeks control of sea routes to Europe to ensure its economic and energy security. India’s enhanced global stature, its dynamic foreign policy, and the strategic weight of its demography constituting about 1.4 billion people make the case for Greece to enter into a strategic relationship with India. With Greece itself wanting to be a vital bridge between Europe, the Persian Gulf, and the Eastern Mediterranean states, it is looking a partnership with India as the easternmost core of its strategic expanse.
4 With the upcoming visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Greece, India and Greece are looking at elevating their bilateral relationship to the level of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Both sides have already expressed the willingness to expand cooperation in the fields of defence, trade, investment, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges.
5 During his visit, the Indian PM will discuss deepening the defence and maritime cooperation between India and Greece. In this regard, joint military exercises are scheduled between the naval and air forces of the two countries. Indian Navy will carry out a joint exercise with the Greek Navy in the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas, highlighting the strengthening of the maritime alliance between the two countries.
Indian Air Force has already participated in INIOCHOS-23, a multinational air exercise hosted by the Hellenic Air Force earlier this year. The co-training exercises of Indian fighter pilots with Greek pilots on-board F-16 fighter jets have a strategic angle apart from the defence cooperation aspect as Pakistan is highly reliable on F-16 fighter jets. The upcoming Tarang Shakti air exercise scheduled for September 2023 will have four Greek F-16s participating in the event which is India’s largest air exercise.
6 Apart from joint exercises, India and Greece are also looking forward to harnessing advanced technologies and innovations to meet the evolving security needs in a geopolitically turbulent world. Research and Development collaborations, information sharing, reconnaissance building, and joint projects in fields such as aerospace engineering, defence electronics, and unmanned aerial systems are in the pipeline for exploration between the two countries
4 Embassy of India, India-Greece Bilateral Ties, Ministry of External Affairs,
https://www.indiaingreece.gov.in/page/bilateral-relation/ accessed on August 19, 2023.
5 Staff, India and Greece plan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership – PM Modi visit to foster stronger ties,
August 18, 2023, https://www.telegraphindia.com/world/india-and-greece-plan-comprehensivestrategic-partnership-pm-modis-visit-to-foster-stronger-ties/cid/1959902 accessed on August 20, 2023.
6 Siddiqui, H., India’s strategic Mediterranean outreach: Strengthening ties with Greece, August 16, 2023,
https://www.financialexpress.com/business/defence-indias-strategic-mediterranean-outreachstrengthening-ties-with-greece-3212804/ accessed on August 21, 2023.
7 In this regard, the visit by India’s External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar to Athens this June is also noteworthy. The visit aimed at setting the stage for the meeting of the two Heads of Government and to take the relationship to a higher level. The visit by Dr Jaishankar also led to the exploration of ways to expand overall bilateral ties. The June
meeting resulted in the leaders’ joint call for adherence to fundamental international principles such as the rule of law, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. Moreover, both
countries strongly condemned terrorism, violent extremism, and radicalization. This demonstrated a clear indication of their alignment on core issues and shared geopolitical
challenges.8 In the area of bilateral trade, there has been an upward movement since 2017-18 with a number of joint ventures and projects being finalised between the two countries. India’s exports to Greece, which touched INR 8.08 Billion in June 2023, include petroleum products, automobile components, vehicles, flat rolled steel items, sesame seeds, frozen prawns/shrimps and squid, cashew nuts, coffee, nucleic acids, and soybean oilcake. Greece exports items such as cotton, scrap metal, marble, granite, aluminium foils, calcium carbonate, kiwi fruits, and greasy wool to India.
However, both countries are trying to further boost their bilateral trade in goods as well as services including tourism which holds immense potential for further growth.
In the field of cultural relations, there has been an upshot with a flurry of activities between India and Greece in the recent period. There are many bases on which this
relationship can be further built as the two countries have had strong historical and civilizational ties that can be traced back to ancient times. There are striking similarities
between Sanskrit and Ancient Greek languages. Indian and Byzantine astronomy too have many commonalities. India’s Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture, Meenakshi Lekhi, in her recent statement emphasised how Greece was always considered by India as a bridge between East and West. The two countries will be expanding their cultural relationship by exploring history and contacts, numismatics, art and archaeology, science and philosophy, commerce and economy, and geography together.
To materialise this aspect, governments from both countries are focusing on these pillars. The Indian diaspora in Greece which numbers around 14,000 people and the academics, professionals, and tourists will further give a significant boost to people-to-people ties between India and Greece
In recent times, the bilateral ties between India and Greece have experienced a notable upswing, characterized by intensified efforts to bolster trade, investments, cultural
affinities, security, and interpersonal connections. The forthcoming visit by the Indian Prime Minister holds the promise of elevating this relationship to new echelons of
collaboration. Against the backdrop of contemporary geopolitical dynamics, the imperative for these two nations to forge a closer alliance becomes increasingly evident.
Such a partnership not only aligns with the prevailing global geopolitical salience but also stands to deliver mutual benefits, positioning both countries on a trajectory of shared
prosperity and enhanced cooperation. As they navigate the complexities of the modern world, this burgeoning camaraderie holds the potential to be a defining feature of their
strategic partnership.
- Dr Maheep is a Leading Analyst of India’s Foreign Affairs. He is the Principal
Investigator of a National Project on India’s Soft Power Diplomacy.