Visit of the Minister of Tourism, Olga Kefalogianni, to New Delhi on the occasion of the direct air connection between India and Greece

The Minister of Tourism, Olga Kefalogianni, flew on Monday, 26 January 2026, to New Delhi on the first direct flight of IndiGo Airlines from Athens. The Minister traveled with the CEO of IndiGo, Mr. Pieter Elbers, who came to Athens on the first direct Delhi-Athens flight on January 23. The direct air connection between the two countries brings the two peoples closer in the fields of tourism, but also in cultural and economic cooperation and development.

As part of her 24-hour visit to New Delhi, the Minister of Tourism, Mrs. Kefalogianni, had a bilateral meeting with her Indian counterpart, Minister of Tourism and Culture, Mr. Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. The Greek Minister emphasized that strengthening Greece’s position in the Indian market is a strategic priority for Greek tourism. Emphasis was also placed on the importance of the start of a direct air connection between the two countries by IndiGo, while the imminent start of direct flights by AEGEAN Airlines was also mentioned. The two ministers agreed to sign, within 2026, a new, bilateral cooperation agreement in the tourism sector, with an emphasis on the development of the relations of the two countries in know-how and more specifically in the field of tourism education, with the introduction of provisions for the promotion of mutual exchange programs of students in tourism schools.

The Tourism Minister’s visit to New Delhi coincided with the historic conclusion of negotiations on the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the EU and India, which will strengthen the economic and political ties between the two parties. Greece, at this pivotal juncture, with the new direct air connections, is laying strong foundations for the further deepening not only of bilateral relations in the field of tourism but also more broadly of economic and business relations between Greece, as a member state of the EU, and India.

In the same direction, Ms. Kefalogiannis pointed out the commitment of the Greek government to the opening of two new Greek Diplomatic Consulates in Mumbai and Bangalore in 2026, an initiative that comes to complement the strengthening of air connectivity and to further facilitate their movements, investments and cooperation, both in tourism and in the wider economic sector. Special mention was also made of cultural tourism and the highlighting of the historical and cultural wealth of Greece and India, as strong poles on either side of attracting the interest of visitors.

The Minister of Tourism gave interviews to leading Indian travel media, including Outlook Traveler and The Food & Travel Almanac, in which she highlighted Greece’s strategy to expand tourism throughout the year and throughout the territory, as well as initiatives aimed at promoting sustainability and balanced tourism development. In addition, she referred to the possibilities and prospects that Greece offers in terms of special forms of tourism, as a destination based on the rich cultural heritage, Greek gastronomy, the unique natural and diverse landscape and climate (sun, sea, mountain, etc.).

During her visit to New Delhi, the Minister of Tourism made a series of contacts with tourism business operators at the residence of the Greek Ambassador in New Delhi, Mrs. Alikis Koutsomitopoulou. The focus of the discussion was the mutual intensification of the promotional actions of the two countries, with an emphasis on the culture and history of the peoples, but also the investment activity, mainly in the field of attracting Indian film producers to Greece.

Finally, the cultural aspect includes a visit by the Greek Minister to the exhibition “Gika: A Journey to India” at the National Gallery of Modern Art in New Delhi, as part of the wider effort to connect Greek culture with extroversion