Greece and India agree to expand defence cooperation as Davakis meets Indian Defence Secretary Singh, who also visits Salamis Naval Base

Greece and India agreed to expand their defence cooperation during the official visit to Athens of Rajesh Kumar Singh, head of the services of India’s Ministry of Defence, on Wednesday, October 14. Singh came directly from Cyprus and met Deputy Defence Minister Thanasis Davakis at the Ministry of National Defence, which issued an announcement about the meeting.

“Greece’s Deputy Minister of National Defence Mr. Athanasios Davakis received Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh at the Ministry of National Defence in Athens,” India’s Ministry of Defence said in a post. “The two sides agreed to expand defence cooperation, prioritising policy planning, General Staff talks and cooperation between defence industries, along with capability development, joint exercises and regular bilateral exchanges.”

Wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and a meeting at the Foreign Ministry

Singh began the visit by laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Syntagma Square, “paying tribute to the courage and sacrifice of fallen soldiers”, according to the Indian ministry. The same day he met Greece’s Permanent Deputy Foreign Minister Alexandra Papadopoulou.

“As important maritime nations, India and Greece attach particular importance to further expanding their cooperation in maritime security and to strengthening the bilateral defence partnership in the naval sector and the defence industry,” the Indian side said.

Salamis Naval Base

The Indian official also visited Salamis Naval Base, where he met the Fleet Commander, Vice Admiral Christos Sasiakos, to discuss India–Greece naval cooperation and evolving security challenges. No new agreements or contracts were announced, as India’s Defence Watch noted.

The background

The visit follows Defence Minister Nikos Dendias’s trip to India in February, when a Joint Declaration of Intent on defence industrial cooperation was signed. The two countries upgraded their relations to a strategic partnership in 2023, and a Joint Working Group on military cooperation was set up in 2024.

On October 8 Singh had met in New Delhi with Deputy Minister of Shipping Stefanos Gkikas, in a week when Dendias met the Indian ambassador, as we reported in Greece–India defence cooperation. Before Athens came the stop in Nicosia, where Singh met the chief of the National Guard, covered in our report on the Cyprus–India meeting.