Jaishankar welcomes Greece FM Dendias on his 1st India visit; holds delegation-level talks

External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar on Wednesday met with Greece Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias and conducted delegation-level talks on multifaceted topics. The meeting was held at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, which is a premium location often used by his foreign heads of states and top delegates since India's independence. Taking to Twitter, Jaishankar extended a warm welcome to his Greek counterpart, further adding that he is looking forward to "comprehensive discussions on bilateral, regional and global issues."

Greek FM Dendias arrived in India on Tuesday as a part of a two-day visit in a bid to strengthen and consolidate bilateral relations with New Delhi. Dendias' visit comes after he was invited by EAM Jaishankar during his visit to Athens in June 2021. Notably, this is Dendias' first visit to India.

In the in-person meeting between the top diplomats of respective countries, both Jaishankar and Dendias are expected to deliberate over regional and international issues of mutual interest, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a press release. Further, they will undertake a comprehensive review of the bilateral ties, which have widely remained friendly between India and Greece, owing to the rich historical past. Both the diplomats will also discuss mutual concerns over the developments in Ukraine, the free and open Indo-Pacific region, the Eastern Mediterranean, and other international issues, the MEA added. "The visiting dignitary will also call on the Vice President of India, Venkaiah Naidu" during his stay, the ministry further informed.  

Jaishankar discusses economic opportunities with his Austrian counterpart

On Sunday, Dr. Jaishankar hosted Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg where they shared mutual opinions about exploring new economic opportunities for bilateral cooperation. The top diplomats also mulled over regional security challenges and talked about the repercussions of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

The discussions covered a spectrum of issues, including political, economic, and commercial relationships, as well as cultural and academic ties, MEA said. The Ministry went on to say that the two sides discussed the COVID-19 pandemic and post-pandemic recovery, including vaccines equity and supplies. Regional and global themes such as neighbourhood policy, terrorism, and India-EU relations, among others, were also discussed. The Ministry further stated that the discussions included global topics such as United Nations reforms and India's priorities during its term on the UNSC.

(Image: @DrSJaishankar/Twitter)