After Reading This Article You Can Solve This UPSC Mains Model Question:
“In the context of India–Greece relations, critically examine the key drivers behind their recent transformation and analyse the strategic significance of this partnership for India’s European and Indo-Pacific outreach.” 250 words (GS-2, International Relations).
Context
The relationship between India and Greece has undergone a paradigm shift, evolving from a historical and cultural association into a Strategic Partnership. As both nations sit at the crossroads of critical maritime corridors, their synergy is vital for the emerging Indo-Pacific and Mediterranean security architecture.
Historical Timeline: India-Greece Relations
1. Ancient Origins (4th – 1st Century BCE)
- The Alexander Catalyst (326 BCE): Alexander the Great’s arrival at the Beas River marked the first formal contact. The established Satraps (Provinces) created a permanent Greek presence in Northwest India.
- Mauryan Diplomacy: The defeat of Seleucus Nicator by Chandragupta Maurya led to the first known international matrimonial alliance and the appointment of Megasthenes, whose work Indica remains a foundational text for Indian history.
- Indo-Greek Synthesis: The reign of Menander I (Milinda) saw the birth of the Milinda Panha, a philosophical dialogue merging Greek logic with Buddhist tenets.
2. Cultural & Intellectual Fusion
- Gandhara School of Art: A unique Greco-Buddhist artistic style where Indian spiritual themes were rendered with Greek physical realism (e.g., Buddha portrayed with curly hair and muscular features like Apollo).
- Science & Astronomy: Exchange of knowledge was profound; Indian astronomy (Gargi Samhita) openly acknowledges Greek mastery in the field.
- Philosophy: Parallel developments in Stoicism (Greece) and Upanishadic thought (India) suggest deep intellectual cross-pollination.
3. Trade & The Colonial Gap
- Maritime Silk Route: During the Roman/Byzantine eras, Greeks acted as primary intermediaries for Indian spices and silk.
- Merchant Communities: In the 1770s, Greek traders established a presence in Kolkata and Dhaka. The Greek Orthodox Church in Kolkata (1780) stands as a legacy of this era.
4. Modern Era (1947 – Present)
- Establishment of Ties (1950): Formally entered diplomatic relations post-independence.
- Strategic Reliability (1998): Greece stood out by refusing to condemn India’s nuclear tests (Pokhran-II), reinforcing trust during a period of global isolation.
- Diplomatic Reciprocity: India: A “quid pro quo” of diplomatic support has defined the modern era. India supports Greece on the Cyprus issue, while Greece consistently supports India’s position on Kashmir and its claim for a permanent seat at the UNSC.
Area of Cooperation of the India Greece Relations
1. Defense and Security Cooperation
Defense is the strongest pillar of the upgraded Strategic Partnership (2023).
- Joint Exercises: Regular participation in high-stakes drills like Exercise Iniochos (Air Force) and Exercise Tarang Shakti.
- Maritime Security: Both nations advocate for UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) and a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific.” They collaborate on anti-piracy and security in the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean.
- Defense Industry: Moving from buyer-seller relationships to joint production of defense equipment and maintenance of hardware (especially aircraft).
2. Connectivity and Infrastructure (IMEC)
Greece is India’s “Gateway to Europe” via the Mediterranean Sea.
- IMEC Corridor: The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor is a game-changer. Greece’s Port of Piraeus is a leading candidate to be the primary European entry point for Indian goods.
- Civil Aviation: Increased focus on direct flight connectivity to boost tourism and business exchange.
3. Economic and Trade Relations
- Trade Target: Both nations have committed to doubling bilateral trade by 2030 (currently ~$2 billion).
- Key Sectors:
- Shipping: Utilizing Greek expertise in global shipping (Greece owns roughly 20% of the world’s merchant fleet).
- Agriculture: Joint ventures in food processing and cold storage.
- Infrastructure: Indian firms (like GMR) are actively building major infrastructure in Greece, such as the Kastelli Airport in Crete.
4. Energy and Climate Change
- International Solar Alliance (ISA): Greece joined the ISA in 2021, marking a shift toward renewable energy collaboration.
- Green Hydrogen: Both nations are exploring the production of green fuels for shipping.
5. Migration and Mobility
- MMPA: A Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement is being finalized to facilitate the movement of skilled professionals, students, and workers while curbing illegal migration.
6. Science and Technology
- Space Cooperation: Discussions between ISRO and the Hellenic Space Center for satellite tracking and maritime surveillance.
- Digital Economy: Cooperation in UPI (Unified Payments Interface) integration and FinTech to ease transactions for Indian tourists and businesses in Greece
Significance of the India-Greece Relationship
1. Geopolitical Significance: The “Counter-Axis” Strategy
- The Turkey Factor: Turkey’s growing “Triple Axis” with Pakistan and Azerbaijan (supporting each other on Kashmir and Nagorno-Karabakh) has pushed India to seek reliable partners in the Eastern Mediterranean. Greece, having its own tensions with Turkey, is a natural strategic counterweight.
- Support on Core Issues: Greece is a consistent supporter of India’s stance on Kashmir, while India reciprocates by supporting Greece on the Cyprus dispute. This “sovereignty-based” mutual support is a bedrock of their diplomacy.
2. Geo-economic Significance: The Gateway to Europe
- IMEC Terminal: With the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), India needs a stable entry point into the European Single Market. The Greek Port of Piraeus (one of the largest in the Mediterranean) serves as the most logical logistical terminus for Indian goods.
- Alternative to BRI: Strengthening ties with Greece helps India provide an alternative to China’s “Belt and Road Initiative” (BRI), as China currently holds a significant stake in Piraeus.
3. Maritime & Security Significance
- Mediterranean Footprint: As India expands its naval reach, Greece provides a “home base” in the Mediterranean. Joint exercises in these waters allow the Indian Navy and Air Force to project power far beyond the Indian Ocean.
- Adherence to UNCLOS: Both nations are vocal proponents of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), countering unilateral territorial claims by aggressive neighbors (China in the South China Sea and Turkey in the Aegean Sea).
4. Energy & Sustainability Significance
- Green Shipping: Greece owns nearly 20% of the world’s merchant fleet. Collaboration in Green Hydrogen is significant for decarbonizing global shipping routes.
- Energy Transit: Greece is positioning itself as an energy hub for Europe (via the EastMed pipeline). Partnering with Greece gives India a seat at the table in Mediterranean energy politics.
5. Demographic & Labor Significance
- Migration Management: Greece faces a labor shortage in agriculture and construction, while India has a surplus of skilled and semi-skilled labor. The Migration and Mobility Partnership ensures a legal, regulated flow of people, benefiting both economies and reducing illegal migration.
Challenges of the India Greece Relation
1. The “China Factor” in Greece
- Port of Piraeus: A major challenge is that the COSCO Shipping (a Chinese state-owned enterprise) owns a majority stake (67%) in the Port of Piraeus.
- Strategic Conflict: Since Piraeus is the intended terminal for the IMEC, China’s control over the infrastructure could pose security and operational risks for Indian trade interests.
- Investment Competition: China has been a primary investor in Greece during its debt crisis, making it difficult for Greece to completely decouple from Beijing’s economic influence.
2. Regional Volatility and IMEC Implementation
- The Middle East Crisis: The IMEC corridor (India-UAE-Saudi Arabia-Jordan-Israel-Greece) relies heavily on stability in West Asia. Ongoing conflicts (like the Israel-Hamas-Hezbollah situation) threaten the viability of the rail and sea links required to reach Greek shores.
- Logistical Gaps: There is still a lack of seamless rail-to-ship connectivity between the various transit points of the corridor.
3. The Turkey-Pakistan-Azerbaijan Axis
- Security Pressures: Turkey’s aggressive stance in the Eastern Mediterranean and its military-political alignment with Pakistan forces Greece and India into a defensive posture.
- Balancing Act: While this brings India and Greece closer, it also complicates India’s broader relations in the Islamic world, as Turkey remains an influential regional player.
4. Economic and Trade Bottlenecks
- Low Bilateral Trade: Despite the potential, trade stands at roughly $2 billion, which is significantly lower than India’s trade with other European partners like France or Germany.
- Regulatory Hurdles: Indian exporters often face stringent EU sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards, which act as non-tariff barriers for agricultural and pharmaceutical products.
- Limited Direct Connectivity: The lack of frequent direct flights and shipping lines currently increases the “cost of doing business.”
5. Technological and Environmental Costs
- High Cost of Green Transition: While both nations are keen on Direct Air Capture (DAC) and Green Hydrogen, these technologies are currently expensive.
- R&D Gap: Scaling DAC from a niche experiment to a mainstream source for synthetic low-carbon fuels in the shipping industry requires massive capital investment that neither nation has fully committed yet.
Way Forward
- Diversifying Infrastructure: To mitigate the “China Factor” at Piraeus, India should invest in and utilize alternative Greek ports such as Thessaloniki or Alexandroupolis, ensuring multiple gateways into Europe.
- Operationalizing IMEC: India must lead diplomatic efforts to stabilize the “Middle-East segment” of the corridor while fast-tracking the digital and physical integration of customs and rail links.
- Defense Industrial Integration: Shift from joint exercises to joint manufacturing. Establishing “Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul” (MRO) hubs in Greece for Indian-made platforms can serve the broader Mediterranean and European markets.
- Green Technology Leadership: Leverage the International Solar Alliance to scale Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology. This can transform the Greek shipping fleet into a leader in synthetic low-carbon fuels, fulfilling both nations’ net-zero commitments.
- Institutionalizing Mobility: Early implementation of the Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement (MMPA) to provide Greece with skilled labor in sectors like IT, nursing, and agriculture, while protecting the rights of Indian workers.
- Soft Power Synergy: Utilize the shared Greco-Buddhist heritage (Gandhara Art) and the International Day of Yoga to increase people-to-people ties and boost the tourism circuit between Athens and Buddhist sites in India.
Conclusion
The India-Greece partnership is a cornerstone for Viksit Bharat @2047, transforming the Mediterranean into a “maritime bridge” for Indian aspirations. By integrating the IMEC with Greek logistics and pioneering Green Hydrogen technologies, both nations can lead the global energy transition, securing India’s role as a Vishwa Mitra and an economic powerhouse.
