Greek fighter jets are expected to participate in the TARANG SHAKHTI exercise for the first time in September!
The Greek government has steadily promoted defence cooperation with India in recent years. The General Staff of National Defence has assumed a leading role in this relationship.
It is evident that India also wishes to develop defence ties with our country and is showing it in practice by planning and expanding military exercises and joint training with the Armed Forces.
This year, the College of Defence Management of the Indian Armed Forces, led by the School's commander, Rear Admiral Sanjay Datt, visited Greece. A series of exercises with Navy and Air Force units preceded it.
The firm will of Athens and New Delhi to further develop their defence cooperation was recently realised with the joint training of naval units of the two countries.
The Indian Navy’s Kolkata class destroyer ship INS CHENNAI was at Souda Bay in Crete on 27-29 July.
The Indian crew Called at the Greek Naval Base and visited the Greek Maritime Museum in the Chania region.
The visit is part of enhancing Greek-Indian naval ties.
🇬🇷🤝🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/2V6NIbR4Rp
— Paul Antonopoulos 🇬🇷🇨🇾 (@oulosP) July 29, 2023
The INS Chennai and Hellenic Navy ship Nikiforos Fokas conducted exercises in the Mediterranean Sea on 27-29 July.
Zito I Hellas.
Jai Hind.🇬🇷🤝🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/nnPtWvdaUf
— Paul Antonopoulos 🇬🇷🇨🇾 (@oulosP) July 31, 2023
The highlight of this relationship was the close cooperation of the Armed Forces of the two countries, with the participation of the Indian Air Force for the first time in the multinational exercise "INIOCHOS 23" with Su30 aircraft, which was held at the end of last May.
The co-training of the Indians with the Greek pilots and the familiarisation with the Greek F-16s prove vital for New Delhi, as it wants to get to know the fighter jet that is the backbone of the Pakistani air force.
Besides, the strengthening of defence cooperation between the two countries has to do with the close military relationship between Turkey and Pakistan, rivals of Greece and India...
In September, four Greek F-16s are also scheduled to participate in "Tarang Shakti", India's largest air exercise, while the visit of the head of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff (GEETHA), Konstantinos Floros, to India, is also in the works following an invitation from his counterpart.
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