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External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday held bilateral talks with his Greek counterpart George Gerapetritis in New Delhi and emphasised on increasing trade, investment and connectivity between both countries.
Welcoming the Greek delegation headed by Gerapetritis, Jaishankar highlighted India's growing relationship with Greece, noting frequent Prime Ministeterial visits exchanged between both countries. "In the last year our relationship has seen a huge upswing. It's not many relationship where we can say we had rapid exchange of Prime Ministerial visits as quickly as that. We have a strong political comfort, people to people understanding. We will like more trade, more investment, more technological collaboration and perhaps look to see whether we can work together on connectivity, Jaishankar said. Gerapetritis expressed Greece's willingness to upscale bilateral relations in all respects, including tourism, culture, trade. "In the last couple of years, the bilateral relations between Greece and India have been upscaled tremendously...We would like to upscale our bilateral relations in all respects, including tourism, culture, trade. As members of the UNSC, we would like to echo the voice of India within the United Nations. We would also like to be reliable interlocutors to the EU-India relationship. It is a unique opportunity for us when we celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations," he said. Gerapetritis is currently on a visit to India to enhance diplomatic and strategic relations between the two nations. On Wednesday, MEA spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, welcomed the Greek minister, "Warm welcome to Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis of Greece on his official visit to India. His visit will further strengthen India-Greece ties & enhance our growing strategic partnership," in a post on X. India and Greece have historically maintained warm and cooperative relations, supporting each other on key international matters, including Kashmir and Cyprus. Greece has consistently refrained from making statements on recent developments in Jammu & Kashmir, aligning with India's concerns on the issue. Additionally, Athens has extended its backing for India's quest for a permanent seat in an expanded United Nations Security Council (UNSC), reinforcing the strong diplomatic ties between the two countries. The Indian community in Greece has steadily grown over the years. As per the 2011 Greek census, there were 11,333 Indian nationals in the country, with estimates now ranging between 13,000 and 14,000. The majority of Indian expatriates in Greece are of Punjabi origin, predominantly Sikhs, engaged in sectors like farming, construction, and manufacturing. Many individuals initially arrived on temporary permits and later secured residency through various amnesty programs offered by the Greek government, with the last major amnesty occurring in 2005. Gerapetritis' visit is expected to further reinforce India-Greece relations, expanding cooperation in strategic, economic, and diplomatic spheres. (ANI)
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