New Delhi, Feb 22 (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Greek counterpart, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, inaugurated the Raisina Dialogue -- India’s flagship conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics -- on Wednesday evening
The Greek Prime Minister said in his inaugural address that India’s rise on the international stage and its position as a growing force at the heart of the G20, he believed, made the country a key ally in the pursuit of peace, security, and efforts to fight climate change.
Building on European Commission President Ursula Von de Leyer’s assertion that the EU ought to strengthen its partnership with India, Kyriakos Mitsotakis noted that a strong EU-India partnership should in fact be the cornerstone of Europe’s foreign policy.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in his vote of thanks said the growing ties between Greece and India were natural, given that both countries “take a long view of challenges and a considered view of opportunities”.
He said that as India continues to deepen its footprint abroad, Greece has emerged as a favourable destination. As civilizational states, the two nations have a responsibility to contribute to the evolution of the world order.
Opening the conference, Dr. Samir Saran, President, Observer Research Foundation (ORF), described the present as an “age of unpeace”, riven by conflicts and contests. In spite of these divided times, cooperation is possible, he said, and India’s performance as a consensus-builder has been exemplary.
The three-day Raisina Dialogue 2024 being held till February 23 will comprise over 100 sessions, spanning panel discussions, roundtables, Raisina Firesides, and associated events.
Nearly 3,000 participants from 120 countries are being hosted at the Raisina Dialogue this year. They include serving and former heads of state, ministers and lawmakers, diplomats, policy planners, military leaders, heads of multilateral institutions, business chiefs and eminent thinkers whose collective agency will ensure rich and diverse discussions at the Dialogue.