India–Greece Business Delegation Led by Piyush Goyal
Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal is leading a high-level Indian business delegation to Athens, Greece, following successful engagements in the United Kingdom. The visit focuses on expanding bilateral trade, investment flows, and strategic economic collaboration between the two nations .
🏛️ UK Engagements: The India–UK Business Plenary
The delegation to Greece follows Goyal’s successful visit to the United Kingdom, where he concluded the India–UK: Partners in Progress Business Plenary in London. The engagement reaffirmed the strong momentum in bilateral economic relations, with industry leaders from both countries expressing firm support for the proposed Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) as a transformative framework for deepening trade and investment ties .
🤝 India–Greece Startup Interactions at THEA
During the visit to Greece, the delegation will participate in presentations and startup pitches at The Athens Startup Business Incubator (THEA) . This platform aims to showcase next-generation enterprises and promote cross-border innovation partnerships between Indian and Greek startups .
The focus on startup collaboration is part of India’s strategy to leverage economic diplomacy to build stronger global partnerships, while showcasing the country’s startup ecosystem as a driver of international collaboration.
📊 Focused Roundtable Discussions on Key Sectors
The delegation will also hold focused roundtable discussions with Indian and Greek industry leaders at the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) . The discussions will cover key sectors including:
- Infrastructure – exploring new opportunities in shipping, energy, and large-scale projects
- Digitalisation – strengthening technology and digital infrastructure partnerships
- Defence – fostering cooperation in defence and security sectors
- Food and Agriculture – enhancing agricultural trade and food processing collaboration
These discussions aim to identify new avenues for collaboration and strengthen private-sector partnerships between the two countries .
🏗️ Investment and Industrial Collaboration
The programme will include high-level business interactions bringing together leading stakeholders to explore opportunities for enhanced investment and commercial partnerships across priority sectors. The delegation will also visit leading Greek enterprises to explore collaboration in advanced manufacturing and technology-driven sectors, strengthening industrial synergies between the two countries .
🌍 Greece’s Strategic Importance
The commerce ministry views Greece as a strategic gateway to Europe because of its location at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece controls about 20% of the world’s shipping capacity and over 60% of the European Union’s merchant fleet, making it a key maritime hub. Tourism also plays a major role in the country’s economy, contributing nearly 30% of GDP directly and indirectly .
💼 Bilateral Trade and Investment Context
The visit comes weeks after India and Greece held the 14th Foreign Office Consultations in New Delhi, where both sides reviewed cooperation across trade and investment, defence and security, education, culture, digital public infrastructure, and people-to-people ties. They reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the India-Greece Strategic Partnership .
💰 Bilateral Trade Figures
According to commerce ministry data, bilateral trade stood at $1.28 billion in FY2025-26 :
- India’s exports: $1.07 billion
- Imports from Greece: $212.82 million
- India’s trade surplus: $845.97 million
India’s major exports to Greece include aluminium, smartphones, engineering goods, pharmaceuticals, ceramic tiles, seafood, and coffee, while imports comprise crude oil and petroleum products, aluminium scrap, marble, copper scrap, animal feed, and medicines .
🇮🇳🇬🇷 Existing Investments
Indian companies have steadily expanded their presence in Greece:
- GMR Airports is jointly developing the €850-million Kasteli International Airport project in Crete with Greece’s GEK-Terna
- Companies such as UPL and the Switz Group have also invested in the country
Greek companies including Coffee Island, Alumil, Titan, Eurobank, Pharmaten, and Frigoglass have established operations in India, reflecting growing two-way business engagement .
🚀 Strategic Significance
The engagements in the United Kingdom, followed by the ongoing visit to Greece, reflect the government’s continued commitment to strengthening global economic partnerships, fostering innovation-led growth, and advancing India’s trade and investment diplomacy in key international markets .
By connecting Indian entrepreneurs with Greek counterparts, the visit is set to open new pathways for innovation-led growth and expand India’s influence in Europe’s business landscape. The delegation reinforces India’s role as a hub for entrepreneurship and innovation diplomacy on the global stage .
