Dendias at Nehru University: Diplomacy’s attention is turning to seas and oceans

Greece and India share historical ties since before Alexander the Greece, and have built a strong relationship, one that is “on its way to becoming a strategic one”, Greek Foreign Affairs Minister Nikos Dendias said on Wednesday in New Delhi.

In an address at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Dendias spoke of both countries sharing a respect for international law and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), as diplomacy’s attention is turning to the seas, oceans, and even rimlands, he said.

“Both our countries are oriented towards the oceans and the sea as a space guaranteeing unhindered communication among countries and people,” he noted, while specifically of interest to India and Greece are the Indo-Pacific region and the Mediterranean Sea, in particular the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Stability in these regions will rely on respect of UNCLOS, he added, and Greece welcomes India’s Indo-Pacific Ocean’s Initiative.

About Ukraine

In his address, FM Dendias also spoke of the Russian invasion against Ukraine, which he said “revives nightmares of interstate wars and of spheres of influence”. In addition he noted that Greece was “consistently in favor of dialogue in order to de-escalate tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean,” but this was “not always the preferred option from the part of our big neighbour, Turkey.”

Speaking of the Cyprus issue, he referred to the ties of the island republic with India, particularly India’s support at the UN General Assembly for Cyprus’ independence, which eventually led to its membership in the UN and the European Union. “We recognize the valuable role of India in this regard as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council,” he noted.

Wrapping up his speech, the Greek minister also announced new initiatives, including the signing of a cultural and educational exchange program between Greece and India for 2022-2026 and the reinforcement of the Chair of Greek Studies at the University with a visiting professor from Greece in the coming academic semester, as well as a new collaboration between the Greek Institute of Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Studies and the Greek Chair of the JNU.

He said Greece welcoms the hosting of an International Conference on Greece and India at the JNU in the second semester of 2022, while Greece plans to increase its outreach towards Indian Academic Institutions in the coming months through the official electronic platform “Study in Greece”.