Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 25 called on Greece President Katerina Sakellaropoulou as she congratulated him the success of India’s Moon Mission and said that, “The success of Chandrayaan 3 is not only of India alone but it is a success for the whole of humankind… The results of the data collected by the Chandrayaan 3 mission will help the entire scientific fraternity and humankind “.
On August 23, India became the first country to land on the south pole of the moon.
Meanwhile, PM Modi today commenced his visit to Greece by paying tribute at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Athens. Later on, he received a ceremonial guard of honour.
PM Modi arrived in Athens on August 25, after attending the 15th BRICs summit in Johannesburg, for his maiden visit to Greece at the invitation of his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis. At the Athens International Airport, PM Modi was received by Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis.
He received a rousing welcome upon his arrival at the hotel in Athens with members of the diaspora who had gathered outside the hotel chanting ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai,’ and ‘Modi, Modi.’
They were ween waiving the tricolour and some of them were also beating drums to mark PM Modi’s visit, the first Indian Prime Minister in the last 40 years to visit the country.
At the hotel, PM Modi interacted with children and their parents. A little girl offered PM Modi a Greek headdress and she also briefly interacted with him showing him a painting she had prepared. The young girl also took a selfie with the Prime Minister.
PM Modi 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. Greece Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis had visited New Delhi in 2019.
He is scheduled to interact with business leaders from both countries.
Prime Minister Modi had previously met the Greek Prime Minister in New York in September 2019 on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
India and Greece enjoy civilizational ties, which have strengthened in recent years through cooperation in areas like maritime transport, defence, trade and investments and people-to-people ties.
(with inputs from ANI)
