Model Answer

India and Greece have recently signed a Joint Declaration of Intent (JDoI) to enhance defence industrial cooperation, along with the exchange of a Bilateral Military Cooperation Plan for 2026. The positioning of a Greek International Liaison Officer at the Information Fusion Centre–Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR), Gurugram, further underlines the deepening strategic partnership based on shared democratic values and common security interests. This development has important implications for India’s strategic interests in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and its defence indigenisation goals.

1. Strategic Significance for India in the Indian Ocean Region a) Strengthening Maritime Security Architecture The IFC-IOR functions as a hub for real-time maritime domain awareness, focusing on piracy, illegal fishing, trafficking, and maritime terrorism. Deployment of a Greek Liaison Officer enhances:

• Information sharing between India and Europe-linked maritime networks
• India’s role as a net security provider in the IOR
• Greece’s strategic location in the Eastern Mediterranean connects the IOR with the Mediterranean Sea, strengthening India’s westward maritime outreach.

b) Counterbalancing Emerging Geopolitical Challenges The partnership gains importance in the context of:

• Increasing Chinese naval presence in the IOR
• Militarisation of sea lanes and choke points
• India–Greece cooperation complements India’s broader engagement with: i. EU ii. Mediterranean and West Asian countries This supports India’s vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region).

c) Enhancing Multilateral and Minilateral Engagement Defence ties with Greece strengthen India’s voice in:

• Indo-Pacific discourse
• Europe’s security debates It helps India build strategic convergence between Indo-Pacific and Euro-Mediterranean regions, reinforcing rule-based maritime order.

2. Contribution to Defence Indigenisation (Aatmanirbhar Bharat) a) Defence Industrial Collaboration The JDoI aims to create a five-year roadmap for defence industrial cooperation. Focus areas include:

• Joint production
• Co-development of defence platforms
• Technology transfer This aligns with India’s push to reduce import dependence and boost domestic manufacturing.

b) Synergy between Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Greece’s Agenda 2030 Greece’s Agenda 2030 defence reforms focus on:

• Modernisation of armed forces
• Revitalisation of domestic defence industry
• Collaboration creates win–win outcomes:
• Indian defence MSMEs gain access to European markets Greece benefits from India’s cost-effective manufacturing ecosystem.

c) Boost to Defence Exports Partnership with an EU and NATO member enhances:

• Credibility of Indian defence products
• Opportunities for exports to Europe and Africa Supports India’s goal of becoming a global defence manufacturing hub.

3. Broader Strategic and Political Implications a) Shared Values and Strategic Trust Both countries reiterated that their strategic partnership is based on:

• Democracy
• Rule of law
• Respect for sovereignty This normative convergence strengthens long-term defence cooperation beyond transactional arrangements.

b) Regional Peace and Stability Discussions on regional peace reflect:

• Commitment to freedom of navigation
• Peaceful resolution of disputes Defence cooperation thus contributes to stability in both the IOR and Eastern Mediterranean

The strengthening of India–Greece defence cooperation marks a significant step in India’s evolving strategic diplomacy. It enhances India’s maritime security role in the Indian Ocean Region, supports defence indigenisation under Aatmanirbhar Bharat, and expands India’s strategic footprint into the Euro-Mediterranean space. If effectively implemented through the proposed five-year roadmap, this partnership can contribute meaningfully to regional stability, defence self-reliance, and India’s emergence as a responsible global security actor.