New Delhi [India], November 18 : Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Inland Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal here on Monday held "important bilateral discussion" with Greece's Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy, Christos Stylianides.
"An important bilateral discussion took place between India and Greece. We welcomed Greece's Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy, Christos Stylianides and his team. We discussed taking forward the agenda of talks between PM Modi and the Prime Minister of Greece," Sonowal told ANI.
Sonowal said that they would do all it takes to start the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).
"Greece is the leader in the world in terms of Ship ownership. We want the companies from Greece to operate in India and encourage India in ship building sector. We also discussed the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor. Many decisions were taken in this regard during the G20. To operationalise the route from India to UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and through Mediterranean Sea, to finally Greece, we will do all that it is needed."
Stylianides said that that Sonowal and he had productive discussions.
"First of all, I would like to thank my dear friend, Sonowal, for this excellent meeting, for receiving me personally, me and my team. We had a very good discussion about the historic ties between India and Greece. We tried to find new practical collaboration on the ground after the excellent meetings between our ministers, my Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and also Prime Minister Narendra Modi," he said.
Stylianides said that in these politically turbulent times, the two countries have common interests and they'll work together.
"We found some practical initiatives. And we decided to be together in this very turbulent geopolitical situation in the world, but at the same time to see how we can cooperate in the shipping sector, in the maritime affairs, and in other many fields which is in our common interests," he said.
The Greek Minister added that the IMEC corridor is mutually beneficial for both the countries.
"I am very glad because I had this excellent meeting with the minister. I already invited him to be in Athens to continue our collaboration and to see also there more practical initiatives for the togetherness of our people and for the common benefit. No doubt that we talk for our collaboration in many things, and IMEC is an initiative which is for the common interest for Greece and India and for India and Europe," he said.
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