Strengthening bilateral cooperation between Greece and India in energy, renewable energy and infrastructure, with a focus on the IMEC Economic Corridor and geo-economic connectivity.
In a period of intense geo-economic realignments and the restructuring of international trade and energy corridors, Athens is seeking to secure an enhanced role in the broader connectivity strategy that stretches from India to Europe. In this context, the meeting at the Ministry of Environment and Energy between Greek Minister Stavros Papastavrou and the Indian Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, highlighted the shared commitmentto further deepen the strategic cooperation, with an emphasis on energy, renewable energy, and connectivity infrastructure. Particular emphasis was placed on the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), where the Greek side highlights its role as a critical hub in the new framework of global trade and energy flows.
Specifically, a meeting with India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal took place today at the Ministry of Environment and Energy, with the Minister of Environment and Energy, Stavros Papastavrou.
The prospects
According to the Ministry of Environment and Energy, the discussion focused on bilateral relations in the energy sector, the prospects for the development of the IMEC corridor, and Greece’s role.
“Greece and India are united by shared values, a deep respect for democracy, peace, and stability, as well as a commitment to the principles of international law,” Mr. Papastavrou emphasized, noting that “in the current geopolitical context, India plays a key role in ensuring regional stability, freedom of navigation, and the security of supply chains in the broader Indo-Pacific region.”
He emphasized that the two countries maintain frequent high-level contacts and visits, which strengthens the political momentum of our Strategic Partnership: “Our bilateral relations began to gain momentum following the historic visit—the first in 40 years—by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Athens in 2023, which I had the privilege of attending, at the time as Minister of State, as well as the visit of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to India, a few months later, in February 2024. The recent 14th round of bilateral political consultations held in New Delhi was an excellent opportunity to review the progress of our strategic cooperation and to agree on thea Roadmap, aimed at promoting and monitoring our synergies in specific areas of mutual interest.”
The initiative
Referring to the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), Mr. Papastavrou emphasized that Greece fully supports it, “as an important initiative for global trade, energy flows, and digital connectivity between India, the Middle East, and Europe, and explicitly seeks to join the Corridor.”
The same announcement notes that, earlier this month, the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved the Eastern Mediterranean Gateway Act, which recognizes Greece’s unique role as a central link within the broader IMEC Corridor.
“Cooperation in the energy sector, and specifically in the development of renewable energy sources, is of strategic importance to both countries. This has been formalized in the 2017 Greece-India Memorandum of Cooperation, between the Ministry of Environment and Energy of the Hellenic Republic and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy of the Republic of India, regarding cooperation in the field of youth and renewable energy,” Mr. Papastavrou also noted.
Finally, the Indian minister invited Mr. Papastavrou to visit India in order to —among other things—to meet with his country’s Minister of Youth and Renewable Energy.
