India-Greece- Cyprus Defence ties to Counter Türkiye!
STORIES, ANALYSES, EXPERT VIEWS
Turkey’s simultaneous tango with Pakistan and Bangladesh is aimed at expanding strategic footprints in India’s neighbourhood that may have long-term implications for South Asian dynamics, people familiar with the developments said.
While Turkish foreign and defence ministers jointly visited Islamabad Wednesday, a senior Turkish defence industry official was in Dhaka Tuesday to help set up two defence industrial zones.
This is in the context of Türkiye’s military backing of Pakistan during Operation Sindoor. This has sparked off foreign media speculation around a potential strategic shift by New Delhi. Reports suggest India may be exploring the possibility of supplying its indigenous long-range land attack cruise missile (LR-LACM) to Greece.
In the backdrop of the dispute between Türkiye and Greece over maritime boundaries, airspace rights, and exclusive economic zones in the Aegean Sea, The Times of India writes “Indian defence technology could represent a new element in the regional balance of power. Greek media reports claim that the LR-LACM ‘Nirbhay’, developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), was showcased at the recent DEFEA-25 military exhibition in Athens where Indian and Greek officials reportedly engaged in informal discussions around the potential transfer or even joint production of the missile system. While neither New Delhi nor Athens has officially commented, Turkish news outlet TRHaber has alleged that the Indian missile with a range exceeding 1,000km – might be intended for deployment against Türkiye.”
Speculation over trilateral coordination among India, Greece, and Cyprus
This wave of speculation follows Indian Air Force (IAF) chief AP Singh’s visit to Greece last month, aimed at expanding military cooperation between the two nations. In parallel, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Cyprus has been interpreted by the Turkish media as a signal of emerging trilateral coordination among India, Greece, and Cyprus to counter Türkiye in the Eastern Mediterranean.
High profile visits: In recent years, India has significantly deepened its bilateral engagement with Greece, with a particular emphasis on defence cooperation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Athens in 2023, followed by reciprocal visits from the Greek PM in 2024 and the foreign minister in 2025, underscoring growing strategic ties. More recently, Indian Air Force (IAF) chief A P Singh conducted an official visit to Greece, reflecting the countries' shared defense interests. Both countries operate French-made Rafale fighter jets and have actively participated in each other's military exercises – India joined the Hellenic Air Force’s multinational drill INIOCHOS-25, while Greece took part in ‘Tarang Shakti’ Phase 2 in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, in 2024.
These joint activities build on a defence cooperation memorandum signed in April 2023, marking a formal step in strengthening military ties. Some analysts suggest that India and Greece could serve as strategic counterweights to Türkiye, particularly in light of growing Islamabad-Ankara defence collaboration.
Additionally, writes The Times of India, “India’s wider regional engagement with Greece and Cyprus (PM Modi recently visited Cyprus) seems to have spooked Ankara. The Turkish media reports interpreted these diplomatic efforts as signs of a trilateral cooperation to counter Turkish influence in the Eastern Mediterranean. They also claim that such alignment could increase Indian naval activity near Cypriot ports. Foreign policy analysts in India see this move as part of the ‘Mediterranean front’ that New Delhi is building against Ankara….”
