Written by Mariana Symeonidi

In an era of strategic competition, multi-polarity, and the redrawing of global power corridors, the evolving cooperation between India and Greece merits renewed scholarly and policy attention. While cultural ties between the two civilisations stretch back to antiquity, the contemporary geopolitical environment presents an unprecedented opportunity for structured collaboration—economically, strategically, and diplomatically.

📈 India’s Strategic Evolution: From Regional Actor to Global Power

India’s ascent as a global power is no longer a prediction but a lived reality. With an economy projected to be the world’s third-largest by 2027, India has positioned itself as a key node in global supply chains, digital technology, and energy diplomacy. Its demographic advantage (over 65% of the population is under 35) has translated into a competitive labour force, boosting productivity and foreign investment appeal.

In recent years, India has actively reshaped its strategic partnerships. The U.S.-India Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership now encompasses defence interoperability, critical technologies, and infrastructure development, including initiatives like the India-U.S. iCET (Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology).

While U.S. – India ties strengthened under the Trump administration, particularly through defence deals and the strategic embrace of the Indo-Pacific concept, the Biden administration has maintained this trajectory, emphasising technological cooperation and economic decoupling from China. The continuity across administrations highlights a bipartisan consensus in Washington. India remains a pivotal partner in counterbalancing China and securing a multi-polar, rules-based international order. There are direct implications for Europe, where countries like Greece can benefit from engaging with India not only bilaterally but as part of broader U.S.-supported frameworks.

🧭 Greece as a Strategic European Gateway

Greece’s geostrategic location at the crossroads of three continents has long attracted the attention of great powers. Its ports—Piraeus, Alexandroupoli, and Thessaloniki—are increasingly recognised not just as commercial hubs but as nodes in strategic military and energy corridors. The U.S. military presence in Alexandroupoli, close to NATO’s eastern flank, underscores Greece’s rising importance within transatlantic security frameworks.

India’s westward gaze aligns with Greece’s eastward outlook, presenting the Indo-Greek convergence as more pivotal now than ever. Both nations navigate contested regional environments: India faces pressure from China and Pakistan, while Greece contends with Turkish revisionism and energy disputes in the Eastern Mediterranean.

🔗 Greece–India–U.S. Trilateral: A Strategic Opportunity

As the United States seeks to de-risk global supply chains and balance China’s influence through new coalitions and corridor initiatives, Greece and India could emerge as central partners in a trilateral framework focused on trade, infrastructure, and energy security.

This is already visible in the joint support for the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), announced at the G20 Summit in 2023.

IMEC proposes a direct economic route linking India, the Gulf, and Europe—with Greece as the European entry point. Unlike China’s BRI, IMEC is backed by democracies and emphasizes transparency, sustainability, and strategic alignment. For Greece, this means a renewed role as a transit hub for energy and high-value goods, with deeper integration into critical infrastructure networks.

The U.S.–India partnership, provides a foundation for a Greece–India–U.S. trilateral framework. In this context, Greece can serve as a European anchor in transregional strategies, enhancing connectivity, balancing authoritarian influence, and fostering resilient democracies.

🚢 Energy Security and Maritime Cooperation

India imports over 80% of its crude oil, with significant volumes coming from the Gulf region. As global shipping lanes become increasingly contested due to Red Sea disruptions and tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, alternative routes and reliable maritime partners become indispensable.

Greece, with one of the world’s largest merchant fleets and advanced LNG infrastructure, is well-positioned to become India’s partner in maritime logistics, energy security, and port development. Recent Indian interest in European energy markets, combined with Greece’s participation in EU gas corridors (e.g., TAP, IGB), underscores the complementarity of their strategic objectives.

🛰️ Tech Diplomacy, Defence, and Dual-Use Collaboration

The future of strategic partnerships lies not only in traditional fields such as defence and trade but also in technology and space. India’s remarkable advances in space exploration (ISRO), semiconductors, and artificial intelligence offer fertile ground for bilateral cooperation in dual-use technologies.

While not a traditional tech power, Greece is emerging as a regional innovation hub especially in maritime startups, defence modernisation, and EU-funded R&D. A Greece–India tech and defence dialogue, potentially backed by the U.S., could catalyse joint ventures, cyber-security initiatives, and green tech co-investment, enhancing the resilience of both nations.

Diplomatic Symbiosis

From the Balkans to the Indo-Pacific, both countries share a deep commitment to:

✔️ International law and UNCLOS

✔️ Rules-based multilateralism

✔️ Counterbalancing expansionist actors through regional coalitions

🔍 Final Reflections

As the global order tilts toward multipolarity, alliances are no longer defined solely by geography but by strategic convergence. India, seeking to project power westward without provoking direct conflict, finds in Greece a stable and strategically located partner. Greece, in turn, must diversify its strategic dependencies beyond traditional European partners to assert autonomy and relevance.

In this context, India and Greece represent more than a bilateral alignment. They offer a new model of mid-power cooperation rooted in pragmatism, shared values, and mutual strategic gain.

The question remains: Will Greece seize this moment to leverage the India partnership for the long-term national interest or let yet another strategic window close?