Athens: Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with the Indian diaspora members at the community event organised at the Athens Conservatoire on Friday and said that the country has made the world aware of its capabilities by hoisting Tiranga on the Moon. He said, “This is the month of Sawan, of Lord Shiva. In this holy month, the country has made a new achievement. India has become the first country to land in the dark zone, at the south pole (of the Moon). By hosting its flag on the moon, India has introduced its ”
PM Modi while addressing the event said that India has achieved a new milestone and became the first country to land at the Moon’s south pole. He added, “By hoisting the Tiranga (on the moon), we have made the world aware of India’s capabilities. Congratulatory messages are pouring in from across the world. The social media is full of congratulatory messages. When the achievement is this big, its celebration also continues. Your faces say that wherever you might be in the world, India beats in your heart. I congratulate you once again on the grand success of Chandrayaan-3.”
The event was embarked with the Punjabi folk dance, Bhangra, which was performed by the young Indian community members and was attended by hundreds of Indian diaspora members. Later on, PM Modi along with the Indian community members sang the Indian National Anthem and the diaspora chanted slogans of “Vande Mataram’ and ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai”.
PM Modi arrived in Athens for a day visit, after attending the 15th BRICS summit in Johannesburg. At the Athens International Airport, PM Modi was received by Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis. He received a rousing welcome upon his arrival at the hotel in Athens with members of the diaspora who had gathered outside the hotel chanting ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai,’ and ‘Modi, Modi.’
PM Modi is the first Indian Prime Minister in the last 40 years to visit Greece. The last Prime Ministerial visit from India to Greece was in 1983 by Indira Gandhi. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis had visited New Delhi in 2019.
On the fringes of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2019, Prime Minister Modi met with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in New York. India and Greece have civilizational links that have become stronger in recent years as a result of collaboration in sectors such as marine transport, defence, commerce and investment, and people-to-people ties.