Minister of State Meenakshi Lekhi to visit Greece from January 30

Jan 29, 2023

New Delhi [India], January 29 : Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakashi Lekhi will be on a two-day visit to Greece starting from January 30, according to an official press release from the Ministry of External Affairs.
The press release by MEA said the Lekhi will hold discussions with Greek Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Culture. Lekhi will also be interacting with a cross-section of Indian community, friends of India, academicians and Indologists. This visit will be to further strengthen the long-standing, warm and friendly relations between the two countries and provide an opportunity to further explore new avenues of cooperation.
Additionally, she will participate in a special Yoga event as part of the 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav' celebrations, and will pay floral tributes at the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Athens, according to the same release.
Prior to this Lekhi had concluded her latest four-nation official visit to the Latin America and Caribbean region with a bilateral visit to Bolivia on January 20. This was her first visit to the country and came nearly four years after a State Visit by the President of India to Bolivia in March 2019.
In the visit to Bolivia she met with Bolivia's Foreign Affairs Minister Rogelio Mayta and held comprehensive discussions covering the entire gamut of relations in bilateral, regional and multilateral spheres.
During the meeting, discussions focused on several areas of importance including long-term partnerships in the lithium and battery sector, cooperation in metals and minerals, health, and pharmaceuticals.
She also interacted with Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Erwin Freddy Mamani Machaca and Vice Minister of Foreign Trade and Integration Benjamin Juan Carlos Blanco Ferri.
The discussions on the bilateral front focused on all areas of importance including long term partnership in lithium and battery sector, cooperation in metals and minerals, health & pharmaceuticals, traditional systems of medicine, Space, development cooperation & capacity building, promotion of trade and business, energy, infrastructure development in railways, cultural and people to people exchanges and ease of business travel.
It was agreed to take action on various matters to further enhance bilateral engagement and achieve desired results. MOS invited Bolivian nationals to make use of capacity building support extended by India through ITEC, ICCR, SSIFS and other Specialised Centres of Excellence. In addition to this both sides discussed regional issues and opportunities for cooperation. Views were exchanged on global issues and developments of mutual interest, including reformed multilateralism, climate change.