This article covers the relationship between India and Greece: historical links, mutual political support, the establishment of relations, the Strategic Partnership of 2023, high-level visits, dialogue mechanisms, defence and security cooperation, and cultural and educational ties. It is based on the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) bilateral brief on India-Greece relations. The brief is undated; its most recent entries refer to events in 2024 and to a visit in February 2025.

According to the MEA brief, India's contacts with Greece can be traced back 2500 years. Trade between the Mauryan Kings and Greece is evidenced by coinage and writings.

In 326 BC, Alexander's expedition took him to the north-western part of the Indian subcontinent, as far as the Hyphasis (Beas River). There he fought Raja Puru, King of Pauravaa, whose territory lay between the Jhelum and Chenab, and King Ambhi, who ruled at Taxila. The Mauryan dynasty was contemporary with Alexander.

The brief states that Chanakya, in Chandragupta's court, records in the Arthashastra a Yavan Ambassador at the King's court named Megasthenes. It adds that Gandhara art is believed to be a fusion of Indian and Greek influences.

Political support

The brief states that India has traditionally enjoyed friendly bilateral ties with Greece, characterised mainly by the political support each country has shown for the other's core positions at the international level. The brief adds that close personal ties have been forged over the years between senior political leaders in both countries.

The brief states that Greece has consistently supported India on sensitive issues such as Jammu & Kashmir, India's membership of a reformed and expanded UN Security Council, and India's membership of non-proliferation regimes such as the NSG. India has similarly shown consistent support to Greece on its core international interests, particularly on the Cyprus issue and on its positions on maritime issues with Turkey.

Establishment of relations

Diplomatic relations between India and Greece were established in May 1950. The brief states that visits at the level of Heads of State or Government and Foreign Ministers have taken place at a moderate frequency since then.

The August 2023 visit and Strategic Partnership

Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid an official visit to Greece on 25 August 2023. The brief describes it as the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister in more than 40 years. The two Prime Ministers decided to look at bilateral ties with a fresh lens, including developing further the strategic idea of Greece acting as a gateway for India to Europe.

They announced the upgrading of bilateral ties to a Strategic Partnership, with enhanced cooperation in the political, security and economic fields. On the same occasion, the President of the Hellenic Republic conferred 'The Grande Cross of the Order of Honour' on Prime Minister Modi.

The February 2024 State visit

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis paid a State visit to India on 21-22 February 2024. The brief describes this as the first visit of a Greek Prime Minister in 16 years. During the visit he attended the inaugural ceremony of Raisina Dialogue 2024 and delivered the keynote address. Prime Minister Mitsotakis visited India again on 18 to 19 February 2026 for the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, and met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 19 February 2026.

Foreign Minister visits

The brief's main text refers to a visit to India by Greek Foreign Minister G. Gerapetritis in February 2024, while its annexure lists a visit by Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis on 05-07 February 2025. The annexure also lists these Foreign Minister level visits:

  • Foreign Minister Mr. George Papandrou to India, December 2000, and in transit, November 2001
  • EAM Mr. Yashwant Sinha to Greece, 16-17 January 2003, for the India-EU Troika Ministerial and bilateral talks
  • Foreign Minister Mr. Nikos Kotzias to India, 25-28 November 2017
  • EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar to Greece, official visit, 25-27 June 2021
  • Foreign Minister Mr. Nikos Dendias to India, 22-23 March 2022

Visits by Heads of State and Government

The brief's annexure lists the following visits at President and Prime Minister level:

  • PM Jawaharlal Nehru, stopover on route to a Commonwealth summit (1950s)
  • President Constantinos Karamanlis to India, State visit (March 1982)
  • PM Indira Gandhi to Greece (23 September 1983)
  • Prime Minister Andreas Papandreous to India, for the state funeral of PM Indira Gandhi (November 1984)
  • Prime Minister Andreas Papandreous to India, State visit and Chief Guest at Republic Day (January 1986)
  • President Zail Singh to Greece, State visit (November 1986)
  • President Shakar Dayal Sharma to Greece (July 1993)
  • President Mr. Constantinos Stephanopoulos to India (12-18 January 1998)
  • Prime Minister Konstantinos Simitis to India, State visit (4-9 February 2001)
  • President APJ Abdul Kalam to Greece, State visit (25-28 April 2007)
  • Prime Minister Mr. Kostas Karamanlis to India, State visit (10-13 January 2008)
  • Prime Minister Mr. George Papandreou to India, for the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit (4-5 February 2010)
  • President Ram Nath Kovind to Greece, State visit (16-19 June 2018)

Dialogue mechanisms

The brief names three main mechanisms for institutionalised bilateral dialogue:

  • Foreign Office Consultations, at Secretary level
  • the Joint Committee, at the level of Minister of State or Deputy Minister
  • a Ministry of Defence mechanism involving meetings of JS(PIC) MoD and the Secretary General MoD

The 13th round of India-Greece Foreign Office Consultations was held in Athens on 14 June 2023, between Secretary (West), MEA and the Greek Secretary General in the Foreign Office. The 14th round was held in New Delhi on 05 June 2026, chaired by Secretary (West) Shri Sibi George and Ambassador Andreas Fryganas, Political Director at the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

After the August 2023 Summit, the two sides also decided to establish a new dialogue mechanism between India's National Security Council Secretariat and its equivalent body in Greece. Dialogue under this mechanism is to take place under the direct supervision of the two National Security Advisors.

Defence cooperation

The brief records that after India's nuclear weapon test in 1998, while other European powers were calling for sanctions against India, the Greek Defence Minister paid a bilateral visit in December 1998 and signed an MoU on Defence Cooperation. It states that cooperation under the MoU has remained limited, mainly to occasional high-level military exchanges or limited participation in each other's military training exercises.

Indian Naval ships often pay port of call visits to Greek ports while in the Mediterranean, in view of Greece's strategic location, and use the occasion to conduct limited duration PASSEX exercises. In July 2024 an official level Joint Working Group was established and held its first meeting, which finalised the annual Military Cooperation Program that now guides military cooperation activities. The last round of talks under the MoU took place in New Delhi on 1-4 July 2024, between JS(PIC) MoD and the Director General (IC) in the Greek MoD.

The Greek Air Force took part in the IAF multinational exercise 'Tarang Shakti-2024' with four fighter jets. The Indian Air Force took part in the multinational air exercise 'INIOCHOS-24', hosted by Greece in September 2024, with 4 SU-30 MKI. The brief describes these exercises as a significant upgrade in the scope of military cooperation.

Cultural and educational ties

Under the "Agreement Concerning Cultural Relations" of 1961, the two countries have developed the practice of signing a limited duration Cultural Exchange Programme from time to time. The "Cultural and Educational Exchange Programme" for the years 2022-2026 was finalised in 2022.

The brief records three Indian honours for Greek scholars and diplomats:

  • In 2002, Ambassador Dimitris Velissaropoulos, who had written several books on India, was conferred the Padma Shri, the first ever given to a Greek citizen.
  • In October 2002, the Sahitya Academy elected Dr. Vassilis Vitsaxis, a Greek diplomat and scholar, as its Honorary Fellow, in recognition of his contribution to the understanding of Indian culture.
  • Prof. Nicholas Kazanas, a Greek Indologist, was conferred the Padma Shri in 2021.

An MoU between the FSI and the Greek Diplomatic Academy for cooperation in diplomatic training was signed in 2018, but the brief states that it is not active. The Hellenic Studies chair at JNU and Greek universities' interest in Indian students are covered in the practical article of this guide.