Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal is leading a business delegation to Greece as India looks to deepen bilateral trade, investment and startup cooperation between the two countries, PTI reported.During the visit, the delegation will participate in presentations and startup pitches at the Athens Startup Business Incubator (THEA), the commerce ministry said in a statement on Sunday.The program will also feature a high-level business dialogue to bring together key industry stakeholders from India and Greece to explore opportunities for greater investment and commercial partnerships in priority sectors.The visit comes weeks after India and Greece held the 14th Foreign Office Consultations in New Delhi, where the two sides reviewed cooperation in trade and investment, defense and security, education, culture, digital public infrastructure and people-to-people relations. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), they also reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the India-Greece strategic partnership and combating cross-border terrorism.According to commerce ministry data, bilateral trade stood at $1.28 billion in FY 2025-26, of which India’s exports were $1.07 billion and imports from Greece were $212.82 million, resulting in a trade surplus of $845.97 million.India’s major exports to Greece include aluminium, smartphones, engineering goods, pharmaceuticals, ceramic tiles, seafood and coffee, while imports include crude oil and petroleum products, aluminum scrap, marble, copper scrap, animal feed and medicines.
gateway to europe
The Ministry of Commerce sees Greece as a strategic gateway to Europe as it is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa.Greece controls about 20% of the world’s shipping capacity and more than 60% of the EU’s merchant fleet, making it a major maritime hub. Tourism also plays a major role in the country’s economy, contributing about 30% to the GDP directly and indirectly.
growing investment relations
Indian companies have continuously increased their presence in Greece. GMR Airports is jointly developing the €850 million Kastelli International Airport project in Crete with Greece’s GEK-Terna, while companies such as UPL and Switz Group have also invested in the country.Greek companies including Coffee Island, Alumil, Titan, Eurobank, Pharmaten and Frigoglass have set up operations in India, reflecting growing two-way trade engagement.
