The meeting Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis had with his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in New York had important dimensions.
Greece seeks to become India’s gateway to Europe through the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), following the signal that Washington also sent during the recent 79th Session of the UN General Assembly, the last for US President Joe Biden.
Shortly before the end of his term and after a meeting that the American president had with the leader of the United Arab Emirates, a joint statement issued by the White House emphasised the increased interest of Washington and the other participating countries in implementing the trade corridor.
The statement explicitly referenced Greece as a gateway to Europe, with previous stops in Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
In full alignment with the pressures that the USA is clearly exerting for the upgraded geopolitical role that Greece wishes to acquire through its ports, which are candidate links of IMEC (Piraeus, Thessaloniki, Alexandroupolis, without excluding more than one) is also India.
As was evident from the meeting in New York – a day after the public “statement of support” for Greece made by Biden, Giorgos Gerapetritis reaffirmed with his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar that New Delhi is completely in line with Greece’s will to play a pivotal role in IMEC’s journey to European markets.
This comes at a time when there is intense interest in the route of the trade corridor – which, when completed, will connect India via the Middle East to Europe through a network of railways and ports.
More interestingly, it could also include Kuwait.
ALL THE COUNTRIES
From the talks between the foreign ministers in New York, it has now become clear that all the countries that initially agreed to the IMEC plan have been targeted again as an alternative to China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
The countries not only remain in line with the plan but also, today, expect an alternative route that will allow them to bypass the Red Sea.
In the meeting that Gerapetritis had with his Indian counterpart on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly – which took place at the request of the Indian delegation and largely went under the radar despite the fact that it had important results for Greece – and from on both sides, progress in the implementation of the IMEC economic corridor was highlighted as a top priority as it is a project that, beyond the economic aspect, is expected to contribute to stability in the region.
Gerapetritis and Jaishankar focused on expanding the India-Greece strategic relationship as well as deepening cooperation in areas such as economy, trade, defence and labour mobility.
After requesting and receiving a detailed update on the Greek economy today, the Indian Foreign Minister expressed the desire for the immediate conclusion of a mobility pact, which will allow the recall of Indian workers in sectors that Greece needs, such as construction, tourism, and agriculture.
BILATERAL COOPERATION.
However, the Indian side also showed particular interest in the development of bilateral cooperation in the shipping sector.
In this context, the Indian Foreign Minister invited the Greek Foreign Minister to visit New Delhi accompanied by representatives of the Greek business and shipbuilding community to develop an alliance in the shipping sector.
According to diplomatic sources, the Greek Foreign Minister accepted the invitation, proposing to join the Greek mission—which will be received in India by Narendra Modi himself—and the Greek Minister of Shipping.
He also extended an invitation to the Indian Foreign Minister to visit Athens, with exchange visits to be timed in the first half of 2025.
Maria Mourelatou is a columnist for Ta Nea. Translated by Paul Antonopoulos.
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