India-Greece Strengthen Naval Ties with Guard of Honour & Strategic Defence Pacts

Earlier this morning, Vice Admiral Kataras visited the National War Memorial to lay a wreath and pay respects to fallen heroes.

These ceremonial engagements formed part of a broader sequence of high-level interactions between India and Greece, building on the momentum of recent diplomatic efforts. Earlier, on February 9, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a bilateral meeting with the Minister of National Defence of the Hellenic Republic, Nikolaos-Georgios Dendias, in New Delhi.

During that meeting, the two sides agreed to further strengthen defence cooperation, including a landmark decision to position a Greek International Liaison Officer at the Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) in Gurugram.

Expanding on this strategic framework, India and Greece also signed a Joint Declaration of Intent on strengthening bilateral defence industrial cooperation, which will serve as the starting point for developing a five-year roadmap. In addition, the two countries exchanged the Bilateral Military Cooperation Plan for 2026, outlining the specific scope of military engagements between their armed forces, according to a Ministry of Defence release.

Speaking during the interaction, Rajnath Singh contextualized these developments by stating that India attaches great importance to its longstanding, time-tested partnership with Greece, based on shared values of peace, stability, freedom, and the rule of law.

He noted that bilateral relations were elevated to a Strategic Partnership during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Greece in 2023, a bond further cemented by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis's visit to India in February 2024.

The Defence Minister further underscored the depth of this alliance by thanking the Government of Greece for its consistent support on issues of core national interest, including cross-border terrorism.

He expressed appreciation for Greece's backing of India's permanent membership in an expanded UN Security Council and its candidature for a non-permanent seat for the 2028-29 term, as well as Greece's condemnation of the Pahalgam terror attack.

Reflecting on the personal and professional ties driving this cooperation, Singh remarked, "You had visited India earlier in your capacity as the Foreign Minister, in March 2022. I am happy to note that you have been interacting with our EAM regularly and share a close friendship with him. I hope that both of us will be able to build up a strong partnership in the defence domain too."

Looking ahead to future engagements, the Defence Minister added, "We look forward to hosting PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis in India for the AI Impact Summit later this month. Let me also take this opportunity to thank the Government of Greece for support on issues of core interest to India, including cross-border terrorism."

He reiterated his gratitude for Greece's solidarity in the fight against terrorism and its support at the UNSC.

Rajnath Singh also specifically welcomed the decision to position a Greek International Liaison Officer at IFC-IOR, describing it as an important step to enhance maritime cooperation between the two seafaring nations.

He expressed confidence that the defence partnership would continue to expand in line with India's 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' initiative and Greece's defence reforms under its 'Agenda 2030'.

During their talks, the two Defence Ministers discussed regional and global security issues, acknowledging a growing convergence on maritime security and strategic matters.

Both sides reiterated that the India-Greece Strategic Partnership remains anchored in mutual respect and shared democratic values.

Summarizing the day's achievements in a post on X, the Defence Minister stated, "Delighted to meet the Minister of National Defence of the Hellenic Republic, Mr. Nikolaos-Georgios Dendias in New Delhi today. India and Greece signed the Joint Declaration of Intent on Strengthening the Bilateral Defence Industrial Cooperation and exchanged the Bilateral Military Cooperation Plan for the year 2026."

Mirroring the naval chief's earlier tribute, the Greek Defence Minister also laid a wreath at the National War Memorial and inspected a tri-services Guard of Honour at the Manekshaw Centre alongside Rajnath Singh.

As the visit progresses, the Hellenic delegation is scheduled to travel to Bengaluru to visit key defence and industrial establishments and interact with defence public sector undertakings, industry representatives, and start-ups.

According to the Ministry of Defence, the visit reaffirms the strategic partnership and underscores both countries' commitment to deepen defence cooperation and enhance peace and stability in the region.

- ANI