India has a lot to offer to Greece and vice versa, says Greek envoy Dimitrios Ioannou

He stated that Greece offers a lot of opportunities for Indians to come and invest in Greece and added that Greek cities like Athens and Thessaloniki can become next Dubai for Indians in the future.

Greece Ambassador to India Dimitrios Ioannou said that India has a lot to offer to Greece and vice versa as there are certain complementaries between the two nations. He said that new prospects are opening in front of two nations after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Greece in August this year. Highlighting the the ties between two nations, Ioannou noted that the relations between India and Greece have always remained "very good" but added that there was a sentimental affinity there. He called Greece a gateway for India to Europe. He stated that Greece offers a lot of opportunities for Indians to come and invest in Greece and added that Greek cities like Athens and Thessaloniki can become next Dubai for Indians in the future.

In an interview with ANI, Dimitrios Ioannou said, "Greece-India relations have been always very good but there were somehow, let's say like sentimental affinity there. There was no real substance in that mainly because we were somehow far away geographically. Now, after the historical visit of Prime Minister Modi to Greece last August and the prospects that they are opening in front of us after other developments such as the announcement of the economic corridor, I think that substance will be added to the sentiments and our bilateral relations really are very promising because I think that India has a lot to offer to Greece and vice versa. "Greece has a lot to offer to India because there are certain complementarities between the two countries. And you know we say all the time Greece can become and already, somehow, in a certain meaning it is already the gateway for India to Europe. It's not only a gateway from the geographical point of view but this is something also that relates to the function, to the relations. It's a functional gateway because Greece offers a lot of opportunities for Indians to come to invest, and to be active in the Greek economic and social life and you know my vision is that what is Dubai or London for Indians, that is centers where the Indian diaspora gathers and they are active. Also Greek cities like Athens, Thessaloniki can become in the future. They can become the next Dubai for Indians where they will have their economic activity. The Indian Community can have their headquarters and so the ties will become really, really closer in the coming two years," he added.

PM Modi travelled to Greece for his maiden visit to Greece at the invitation of his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis. He is the first Indian Prime Minister in the last 40 years to visit Greece. The last prime ministerial visit from India to Greece was in 1983. During the Greece Visit, PM held meetings with Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis and President Katerina N Sakellaropoulou. In the meeting with the Greek President, PM Modi was conferred with the Grand Cross of the Order of Honour in Athens, Greece.

Asked about the areas where the two nations can focus on cooperating, he said, "It's difficult to spot some areas because I think there are a lot of promising fields of cooperation that is in economy, in trained bilateral exchanges, that in cultural exchanges, in technology, exchange of technology, in tourism. All fields are very much promising and we will see what the future will bring. But what I know is that from now on the Greek-Indian relations will go up upgrading." Speaking about his experience of living in India, he said that he has the most fond feelings for the Indian people. He said that his tenure in India was short so he could not become aquainted with its rich heritage and civilization as it takes a lot of time. Calling India a "wonderful country," Dimitrios Ioannou said that he was able to take a glimpse of India's culture and heritage. He made the remarks as he came to attend the Kerala Literature Festival.

He said, "I will take with me the best memories and most fond feelings for the Indian people and for your country. What I can say is that the my tenure here was very short because really in order to to go around and to see all India and to visit all India and to become acquainted with that much rich heritage, country and civilization. It takes a lot of time. But anyway I can say that I just took a glimpse of your culture, heritage. But this is a wonderful country that and I will cherish for the rest of my life the experience that I had in India." Asked about the impact of conflict between Israel and Hamas, he said, "I don't believe that this for the moment at least that this country has impacted the rest of the of the Mediterranean countries, especially the European countries. But you know our wish is that that finally peace prevails and it will be found a solution that it will offer a permanent peace to the area and both for Palestinians and for Israelis."

The war between Israel and Hamas has entered its third month, with medics and aid groups expressing concern over the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Meanwhile, Israel has said it will not stop the war until it destroys Hamas. Notably, Israel launched a counter-offensive against Hamas' after its attack on Israel on October 7. (ANI)

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