Greek defence minister visits Bengaluru Military Station; witnesses India's indigenous drone and simulator technologies

NEW DELHI: The Indian Army on Tuesday said it showcased its operational and technical capabilities to visiting Greek defence minister Nikolaos Dendias during his visit to Bengaluru.Dendias visited the Bengaluru Military Station on Sunday, where he observed demonstrations of the Army’s indigenous drone and simulator technologies at the 515 Army Base Workshop. The visit also featured equipment displays by elite units of the Special Forces and Combat Engineers. In a post on X, the Army said the Greek defence minister commended its professionalism, innovation, and preparedness, noting its continued commitment to transformation and self-reliance.On Monday, defence minister Rajnath Singh held a bilateral meeting with his Greek counterpart Dendias in New Delhi. They agreed to further strengthen defence cooperation, including the deployment of a Greek International Liaison Officer at the Information Fusion Centre–Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) in Gurugram.During the meeting, New Delhi and Athens signed a Joint Declaration of Intent to enhance bilateral defence industrial cooperation, which will serve as the basis for developing a five-year roadmap. They also exchanged the Bilateral Military Cooperation Plan for 2026, outlining the scope of military engagements between their armed forces, according to a Ministry of Defence release.Speaking during the interaction, Singh said India attaches great importance to its longstanding and time-tested partnership with Greece. He noted that bilateral ties were elevated to a Strategic Partnership during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the European nation in 2023 and were further strengthened by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s reciprocal visit to India in February 2024.The defence minister welcomed the decision to position a Greek International Liaison Officer at IFC-IOR, describing it as an important step towards enhancing maritime cooperation between the two ancient seafaring nations. He also expressed confidence that defence ties would continue to expand in line with India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative and Greece’s defence reforms under Agenda 2030.The two ministers discussed regional and global security issues and acknowledged the growing convergence between India and Greece on maritime security and strategic matters. Both sides reiterated that the India–Greece Strategic Partnership is anchored in mutual respect and shared democratic values.