India will be invited to the next trilateral summit which includes Israel, Greece, and Cyprus. During the joint press conference on 4th September (Monday) at the 9th Trilateral Summit, the three member nations announced that work is in progress to establish a “3+1” format and that India could be a part of the same in the next summit.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the country is interested in a natural gas export partnership with countries like India. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu too spoke about plans to expand the 3+1 format of the summit beyond the United States and include India. He said, “There’s something else that could develop, and we discussed it at great length.”
BIG ⚡️In another Diplomatic Win, The leaders of Greece, Israel and Cyprus in a joint presser, after the 9th Trilateral Summit in Nicosia, announced they are working towards establishing a “3+1” format with the inclusion of India in the grouping.
— Megh Updates 🚨™ (@MeghUpdates) September 4, 2023
The "3+1" format is… pic.twitter.com/xdn62Wvaa4
Netanyahu also added that India’s role has been viewed as a great possibility by all three countries. “All three countries view that as a great possibility, but they also see that this could lead to a connection between India, the Arabian peninsula, Israel, Cyprus, Greece, Europe. There is a natural…there is a geographic connection but it could be also something that would lead to many rewards for our peoples and our countries.”
Watch: Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu backs India's inclusion in Israel, Greece & Cyprus grouping; Sees expansion of Abraham Accords to Saudi Arabia leading to connectivity between India, Arab peninsula, Israel, Cyprus, Greece, Europe. https://t.co/3drb4fAFP8 pic.twitter.com/T9tIuQmbK6
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) September 4, 2023
Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides said they reaffirmed “our strong commitment to the 3+1 format with the United States and agreed on the value of intensifying 3+1 cooperation, with concrete deliverables also with other countries and we talked specifically about India.”
The development has highlighted India’s significant role in global energy cooperation. In the joint statement, the leaders said that their engagement reflects their shared values and ever-increasing common interests, aiming to contribute to peace, stability, security, and prosperity in the Eastern Mediterranean and the wider region.
“Our three countries remain committed to welcoming other like-minded parties in our resolute effort to create and advance synergies, to the benefit of our countries and peoples, as well as of our region,” the statement reads.
Both Israel and Cyprus are attempting to join forces and export natural gas to the European mainland. All three nations are working to promote “energy synergies” like electricity interconnectors and a possible natural gas pipeline.
