Athens, Feb 25 (IANS) Ties between India and Greece are acquiring heightened strategic importance, especially in defence sector, amid shifting regional geopolitical alignments. The deepening India-Greece ties demonstrate not only bilateral interests but also a broader strategic convergence aimed at maintaining balance and stability across the Mediterranean and the Indo-Pacific, a report has highlighted.
“The broader region is marked by shifting alliances, regional rivalries, and emerging axes of influence, making select bilateral partnerships critical for stability and peace. Within this framework, Greece and India are significantly strengthening their strategic dialogue, with military relations entering a new phase,” a report in ‘Greek City Times’ stated.
“The visit of Vice Admiral Eleftherios–Dimitrios Katara, Chief of the Hellenic Navy General Staff, also formed part of this broader framework of deepening ties. According to informed sources, the two countries ‘perceive each other as strategic partners at the military level’ in an ever-evolving international environment, particularly in the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific,” it added.
Analysts have stressed that defence alignment between India and Greece should be seen in the broader context of trilateral cooperation involving Israel, a dimension reinforced during Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s recent visit to New Delhi. Defence cooperation between the two nations is moving along a steady trajectory, which includes high-level official visits, the signing of structured Military Cooperation Programs (MCPs), joint operational activities across land, air, and sea.
The navies of India and Greece have set up substantial communication channels through joint exercises and coordinated training, considering the importance of maritime security, protection of sea lines of communication, freedom of navigation, Greek naval experience in the Mediterranean and India’s strategic presence in the Indian Ocean create a natural field of shared strategic interest.
“Greek naval experience in the Mediterranean and India’s strategic presence in the Indian Ocean create a natural field of shared strategic interest,” the Greek City Times stated.
Operational cooperation between the armed forces of India and Greece continues at bilateral and multinational levels. Aircraft from air forces of both nations participated in major exercises like Tarang Shakti 24 in India and Exercise Iniochos 25 in Greece. Joint naval exercises between India and Greece have taken place in The Aegean Sea, The Eastern Mediterranean, The Arabian Sea and The Indian Ocean. Indian officers have attended training programmes in Greece.
“At the diplomatic level, Athens and New Delhi are closely monitoring the strategic convergence between Turkey and Pakistan. Regional developments suggest the formation of new geopolitical platforms. Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan are reportedly exploring trilateral coordination, described in some analyses as an ‘Islamic NATO’,” the report stated.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently indicated that Greece, Israel, Cyprus and potentially other regional actors could help form a strategic alliance framework in the Middle East, acting as a counterweight to Ankara’s ambitions.
“The deepening Greece–India relationship reflects not only bilateral interests but also a broader strategic convergence aimed at maintaining balance and stability across the Mediterranean and the Indo-Pacific,” the report concluded.
–IANS
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