GG News Bureau
Athens, 25th Aug. Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a grand welcome upon his arrival at the Hotel Grande Bretagne of Athens with chants of ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai,’ ‘Modi, Modi.’
After landing at Athens International Airport, PM Modi proceeded to his hotel, where he would stay for the day, and met members of the Indian diaspora who were excitedly awaiting his arrival.
Outside the hotel, people of the Indian diaspora were seen waving the tricolour and some of them were also beating drums to mark PM Modi’s visit, the first Indian Prime Minister in the last 40 years to visit the country.
The Indian community expressed their joy upon PM Modi’s arrival in Athens, Greece. One of the Indian diaspora members said, “I am very happy that PM Modi is here. After 40 years, the PM came. last time, then-PM Indira Gandhi arrived in Greece. Narendra Modi has been the PM for the last 9 years and he made a good name for India in the world. I am very proud that PM Modi came.”
Meanwhile, Sanjiv Kumar, a Businessman, staying in Greece for the past 26 years, said, “It was a great moment for us that PM Modi arrived in Athens. It gives us great pleasure. In the Greek community, we have a good name the ‘Indians’, always we have a good name. We are feeling very good. People love him.”
At the hotel, PM Modi interacted with children and their parents. A little girl offered PM Modi a Greek headdress and she also briefly interacted with him showing him a painting she had prepared. The young girl also took a selfie with the Prime Minister.
Earlier today, the PM arrived in Athens and was welcomed by Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis. PM Modi was also greeted with a ceremonial reception. His visit to Athens came after Johannesburg’s visit, where he was attending the BRICS summit.
“Landed in Athens. Looking forward to a productive Greece visit aimed at deepening India-Greece friendship. I will be holding talks with @PrimeministerGR Kyriakos Mitsotakis and also interacting with the Indian community,” PM Modi said on his micro-blogging site X (formerly known as Twitter).
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has just arrived here from Johannesburg after attending the 15th BRICS summit,” Official Spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs, Arindam Bagchi also posted a video on X.
Bagchi said, “A packed day of engagement lies ahead in Athens. He will lay a wreath at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Thereafter, he will meet the president of Greece and then hold talks with the Prime Minister of Greece.”
“He will also meet with business leaders from both sides. Before departing, he will have an interaction with the community who are all excited to receive him after the success of the Chandrayan mission,” he said.
A business lunch hosted by the Greek PM is also scheduled during the visit.
The Prime Minister would also interact with the Indian diaspora in Greece.
Previous high-level exchanges between the two countries have also included a visit by former Presidents of India, late APJ Abdul Kalam and former President Ram Nath Kovind in June 2018.
The Greek President had also paid a state visit to India in 1998, and the then Greek Prime Minister had visited India in 2008.
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