IMEC bypasses Turkish territory entirely. Ankara is pursuing alternative routes. India’s gateway to Europe runs through Greece.
India’s Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh is in Athens (14–15 October 2026) after his official visit to Cyprus on 12–13 October. The trip focuses on maritime security and defence industrial cooperation, linking defence ties to the economic security of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).
It builds on the elevation of India-Cyprus relations to a Strategic Partnership after President Nikos Christodoulides’s visit to India in May 2026 and the adoption of a 2026–2031 Defence Cooperation Roadmap. In Cyprus, Singh met Defence Minister Vasilis Palmas, the Chief of the National Guard, the Naval Commander at Mari Base, and industry representatives. Discussions covered naval engagement, joint training, port calls, capacity building, and cooperation in emerging domains such as AI, cyber and electronic warfare. India also reaffirmed its long-standing support for Cyprus’s sovereignty and UN peacekeeping efforts.
In Greece, the visit follows the Greek Defence Minister’s trip to India in February 2026 and talks with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. Singh is meeting senior Greek defence and military leadership. The sequence underscores the growing India-Greece-Cyprus alignment in the Eastern Mediterranean and supports India’s wider security partnership with the EU.
Hellenic Ports formally joined the “IMEC Ports Club” at its founding meeting in New Delhi earlier in October, with Thessaloniki positioned as a key gateway to Southeast and Central Europe. Greek shipyards (including Salamis) are already collaborating with Indian partners on shipbuilding and repair, and further opportunities to service Indian vessels are under discussion. Greece and Cyprus have both expressed interest in deeper involvement in IMEC, which routes through the Mediterranean rather than Turkish territory.
Together, these steps place Greece and Cyprus at the centre of India’s Eastern Mediterranean strategy, combining defence industrial cooperation with the economic and connectivity goals of IMEC.
Bill Giannopoulos
Junior Editor
Bill Giannopoulos is a Junior Editor at Greek City Times, covering Greek and international news, sport, and history.