Mahatma Gandhi is in Athens unmasked. His bronze statue was unveiled by Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar on his two-day Greece visit. “The statue will act as a strong symbol of friendship between the two countries,’’ a media statement by the MEA read.
This is the first visit by an Indian foreign minister to the country in 18 years. And it marks the beginning of closer diplomatic ties for the two countries that have had deep historical links.
“We started our discussions yesterday and I agree with you, we have a comfortable relationship, but so far not an ambitious relationship,’’ Jaishankar has been quoted as telling the Greek City Times. “There is much more we can do.”
This is what India and Greece will be hoping to do. Jaishankar's agenda was clear in his tweet on Friday before he left.
“Thank FM @NikosDendias for a warm welcome to Greece. A productive discussion on regional and global issues. Greece is an important partner in our broader EU engagement. Look forward to our formal talks tomorrow," Jaishankar tweeted. But there is more at stake than just the European Union engagement.
So far the relationship between the two countries has been distant. There have been visits, including the visit by President Ram Nath Kovind in 2018, but the engagement remained broadly cultural. But the pandemic—and the battle-lines of tensions spilling on to the sea—has ensured that the last two years have seen a steady engagement.
There is a lot at stake. Greece is hoping to get closer to India militarily. With the traditional Turkish Greco rivalry now spilling into sea—there were tense moments last year—over maritime boundaries and exploration rights, Greece is hoping that an alliance with India might make sense.
Especially, given Turkey’s closeness to Pakistan—they have military exercises and a rather hostile position on Kashmir. The East Mediterranean has become a flashpoint and in October last year, India and Greece met virtually to discuss the sensitive area.
“In video conference with #India FM @DrSJaishankar Strengthening relations & developments in #EasternMediterranean & South Asia in focus,’’ tweeted Dendias in October.
The idea to use Greece as a way to deal with Turkey is not lost on India either. The media statement of the visit reflected India's willingness to explore this idea. “Both sides discussed the recent developments pertaining to the Eastern Mediterranean, Cyprus and Libya,’’ it read.
The two countries also “shared views on regional and global issues of mutual interest in the context of new geo-political and geo-economic realities, including the Indo-Pacific. Both sides noted with satisfaction the convergence of each-others’ vision for a free, open, inclusive and cooperative Indo-Pacific ensuring connectivity and growth for all in the region.”
The implication on the convergence of the free and open and inclusive Indo-Pacific and shared views on the new geo-political and geo-economics realities was clear: to China. And closer home, it was also a message to Turkey.
The two countries have also “agreed to work towards the establishment of a Strategic Partnership.’’