Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis visits India, a year after the visit of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

On the occasion of the visit, he interviewed India’s The Hindu newspaper, answering questions about trade between the two countries as well as Greece’s measures for immigration.

The interview given by Mr. Gerapetritis:

Journalist: What is included in the agenda of your forthcoming visit to India? What do you hope to achieve in terms of bilateral co -operation during the visit, which takes place a year after Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ visit?

G. GREATRITIS: The visit of the Greek Prime Minister to India a year ago has indeed demonstrated our steady commitment to strengthening our corporate relationship strategy. This year, in 2025, we celebrate the 75th anniversary of our diplomatic relationships. Today, (Thursday, February 6, 2025) I will meet with my counterpart, Foreign Minister, Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, to discuss important opportunities for the further development of our bilateral relationships in various areas such as sea security, shipping, trade, investment, culture and tourism. India and Greece are pillars of stability in their respective geographical areas, namely the Indo-Pacific and the Mediterranean. Greece, as the earliest democracy, shares strong ties with India, which is the most populous democracy in history. Our two countries have the characteristics of great nations based on ancient cultures, which have affected and enriched humanity.

Journalist: Trade between India and Greece remains at very low levels compared to other partners, with the express ambition being doubled at about $ 4 billion by about 2030. in about $ 1.9 billion and what areas have the most potential?

G. GREATRITTIS: Economic and commercial relations between Greece and India have significant unexplored opportunities. We wish to further enhance the two -way trade flows. Sections of particular interest include building materials, food and drinks and renewable energy. As agreed during the visit of Prime Minister Modi to Athens in 2023, our countries are committed to doubled bilateral trade by 2030. Upgrading the EU-India relationship to a strategic partnership has allowed us to address international issues jointly. When commercial cooperation between India and the EU proceed with the conclusion of the Free Trade Agreement, we expect that bilateral trade will grow significant growth.

Journalist: How did the Israeli-Gaza war affect plans for the East-Europe-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC)? How viable is this corridor today and what will it take to start IMEEC in the midst of this conflict in the Middle East, as the founding countries involved have not even managed to meet since September 2023?

G. GREATRITIS: Greece fully supports the visionary work of the East-East-Europe Economic Corridor and aspires to be India’s natural gateway to and beyond. Given our geostrategic position, our capacity as a regional energy hub and our leadership position in world commercial shipping, we envision to play a vital role.

However, we also see IMEEC as more than just a simple financial corridor. It has a strong geostrategic component. And has the ability to become a corridor of peace, stability and prosperity. This will greatly enhance the cooperation between the participating countries, healing wounds in the wider region and helping us increase our solidarity and resilience to future challenges. The ongoing crisis in the Middle East has delayed project planning, but it should not undermine the strong rationale behind IMEEC. Our determination – that of India, Greece and our intermediate partners – is what will accomplish this work of peace and prosperity.

Journalist: How will India and Greece increase their connectivity, as there are no direct flights at the moment?

G. GREATRITIS: Direct flights between India and Greece would undoubtedly function as a catalyst for the bridging of our two countries, promoting contacts between peoples and deepening our economic and commercial relations. The entry into force of the bilateral airline agreement in 2022 has created the necessary framework for the development of direct air transport. We welcome the plans of the Indian and Greek Airlines to connect with direct flights of cities in India and Greece and we look forward to their launch.

Journalist: Is Greece in talks with Indian ports for ports that will facilitate commercial routes? Reports indicate that the Adani Group is in discussions about the acquisition of a terminal in Kavala or Volos. Could you confirm this information?

G. GREATRITIS: Greece welcomes the potential interest in Indian companies in investing in Greek ports, as we expect this to lead to modernization and expansion of the port infrastructure in our country. This is in line with Greece’s ambition to be the gate of the pioneering IMEEC corridor to the European market.

In terms of port infrastructure, the Greek ports are strategically located at the Crossroads of Europe, Africa and Asia, which makes them ideal transport hubs to connect these three continents. Several Greek ports are already transit trade centers and we aim to enhance their capacity by increasing connectivity and further promoting maritime transport services.

Journalist: Your government has promised to apply stricter controls to illegal immigration. Do you intend to discuss this issue during your visit to India? And how can Greece and India work together?

G. GREATRITIS: As a front -line state, Greece is committed to protecting its borders, which are the borders of the European Union. Greece is leading the struggle to dismantle the networks of traffickers who exploit human pain. At the same time, we have improved conditions in the hosting structures of immigrants and accelerated the process of processing asylum applications.

Overall, we apply a rigorous but fair immigration policy. What we are trying to do is turn irregular migration into legal and functional human mobility pathways. In this respect, the Memorandum of Understanding for Migration and Mobility between Greece and India, which is under negotiation, is an essential step towards strengthening our cooperation in this area. Many entry visas are issued annually to Indian travelers for visits to Greece. In 2024, the Greek Embassy in Delhi issued more than 30,000 entry visas to tourists, students, employees and business executives. And we want to broaden our consular cooperation. In this context, I am pleased to confirm our intention to open two new Greek consulates in India, Mumbai and Bangalore. This is a decisive upgrading of our bilateral relationships and the enhancement of ties between our peoples.

Journalist: What are the priorities for Greece given this year’s position at the UN Security Council? You are one of the few leaders who have visited both Tel Aviv and Jerusalem and Ramalah after the conflict. What is your prediction for this crisis and the Russian-Ukraine war in 2025?

G. GREATRITIS: As an elected member of the United Nations Security Council, Greece plays an essential role in shaping international policy for global security architecture. During its two-year term, in 2025-2026, Greece will vigorously promote the six priorities it has set, namely the peaceful resolution of disputes, respect for international law, themes, peace and security, climate change and climate change and Safety, children in armed conflict and sea security.

As for the Middle East, since the beginning of the conflict I have visited the area many times. In fact, I am now visiting India immediately after a series of meetings in Qatar, Israel, Ramamala and Jordan, having attended the situation in the field firsthand. The truce in Gaza and Lebanon and the opening of the Border Transit Point to Rafa, coupled with the new conditions in Syria, are an important turning point and leave room for hope that conflicts will retreat. Concerning the war in Ukraine, as we approach the third year since its onset, it has been shown that Russia’s aggression was the bloody conflict in Europe since World War II. We are strongly opposed to any form of aggression and support a fair and sustainable peace in Ukraine that will meet the expectations of the Ukrainian people for independence and security.

Greece will work systematically under the Security Council for a sustainable peace in this changing geopolitical landscape. Our motto is to act as a bridge between the North and the South, the East and the West, remaining committed to international law and the principles of the United Nations Charter.