Athens, Jun 18 :
President Ram Nath Kovind today met with the top leadership of Greece and discussed issues of economic, political and cultural importance.
Kovind, the first Indian president to travel to Greece in 11 years, met with President Prokopis Pavlopoulos and the two sides held delegation-level talks during which they discussed issues of mutual interests.
Kovind, who arrived here on Saturday on the first leg of his three-nation tour, was accorded a ceremonial welcome by Pavlopoulos at the Presidential Mansion in Athens.
President Kovind also met with Greece Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and discussed various issues of mutual interest to India and Greece.
“The two leaders emphasised the strong relations between the two nations and discussed various issues of mutual interest to India and Greece,” the Rashtrapati Bhavan tweeted.
Kovind presented Pavlopoulos a painting of Heliodorus Pillar, erected in 2nd century by Heliodorus who was the Ambassador of Indo-Greek King Antialcidas near Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh, and a sculpture replica of Buddha belonging to Kushan period, 2nd century A.D.
The President also visited a cemetry here in the Greek capital where soldiers from erstwhile undivided India, who lost their lives in World War II in Greece, were laid to rest.
He paid his respects at the monument of The Unknown Soldier — a war memorial located in Syntagma Square of the capital city.
Earlier, addressing the diaspora, Kovind said India was striving to become a USD 5 trillion economy and the world’s third largest consumer market by 2025, as he highlighted investment opportunities in the country.
He also praised overseas Indians for playing an important role in improving bilateral relations.
Kovind will also travel to Surinam and Cuba during his three-nation trip.
