New Delhi: India and Greece discuss defence and strategic cooperation with a focus on maritime security, coastal security and shipbuilding as Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh meets Greece’s Deputy Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy Stefanos Gkikas in New Delhi on October 8. The engagement highlights the growing maritime dimension of the India-Greece Strategic Partnership.
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The two sides emphasise their shared interests as major maritime nations, including the need to ensure the safety and security of seafarers. The discussions bring together defence cooperation with the wider maritime domain, covering areas that are important for secure sea lanes, coastal protection and naval capability development.
The engagement builds on a broader expansion of India-Greece defence ties. In February, the two countries sign a Joint Declaration of Intent on defence industrial cooperation, setting the foundation for a five-year roadmap linking India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat objectives with Greece’s Agenda 2030 defence reforms. The two sides also exchange a Bilateral Military Cooperation Plan for 2026
Maritime cooperation is already expanding between the two countries. The Hellenic Navy Chief’s February visit to India focuses on joint operations, training, capacity building and maritime security, while Greece also announces plans to position an International Liaison Officer at India’s Information Fusion Centre–Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) in Gurugram.
The latest engagement also comes as Greece seeks a stronger maritime relationship with India. In October, Gkikas says Greece remains committed to strengthening maritime cooperation with India, while bilateral air engagements such as INIOCHOS and Tarang Shakti add an operational dimension to the wider strategic partnership.
The focus on shipbuilding and coastal security gives the relationship an increasingly industrial and operational character, complementing existing military exchanges and defence-industry cooperation. For India, closer engagement with Greece also strengthens connections between its maritime interests in the Indian Ocean and Greece’s strategic position in the Eastern Mediterranean.
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