Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) of the Indian Navy, commenced his maiden official visit to Greece with a ceremonial Guard of Honour at the Papagos Camp in Athens, hosted by Vice Admiral Dimitrios E Kataras, Chief of the Hellenic Navy General Staff.
In a significant move to enhance bilateral naval cooperation, both naval chiefs held discussions aimed at strengthening Navy-to-Navy partnerships. Key areas of focus included operational interactions, maritime security cooperation, and shared goals for a stable and secure maritime environment. The leaders also explored avenues for furthering training cooperation, with an emphasis on enhancing interoperability and capacity-building between the two navies.
As part of the visit, Admiral Tripathi also met with Mr. Ioannis Kefalogiannis, Greece’s Deputy Minister of Defence, and Vice Admiral Christos Sasiakos, Deputy Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff. These meetings underscored the importance of deepening defence ties and fostering a strategic partnership, particularly in the realms of maritime security in the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
Discussions between the Indian and Greek delegations centered on the criticality of open sea trade routes and the potential for advancing Indo-Greek defence collaboration. Both sides emphasized strategic naval opportunities, capacity-building initiatives, and shared training programs, as well as the importance of enhancing interoperability.
In addition, the talks touched on collaboration in niche technologies and explored opportunities within the defence industry, signaling a broadening of defence cooperation between India and Greece in the future. This visit marks a significant milestone in bolstering maritime ties between the two nations, reflecting a mutual commitment to ensuring regional security and stability. (pr)