New Delhi

Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias arrived in India on Friday for an official visit scheduled to continue until February 9, at the invitation of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

During his stay in New Delhi, Dendias will hold bilateral meetings with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to review avenues for strengthening defence cooperation and to exchange views on regional and global security issues, officials said.

The Greek minister is also scheduled to participate in deliberations at the India-EU Forum, where discussions will focus on international developments and evolving security challenges.

As part of his visit, Dendias will travel to Bengaluru to explore opportunities for collaboration between the Greek and Indian defence industry ecosystems, aimed at enhancing industrial partnerships and technological cooperation.

The visit comes amid a significant upswing in India-EU relations, following the finalisation and signing of a landmark Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the European Union after negotiations concluded on January 27.

The FTA is designed as a modern, rules-based trade framework to address contemporary global challenges while deepening economic integration between India and the EU, which together represent a combined market of nearly USD 24 trillion.

Under the agreement, India will receive preferential market access for over 99 per cent of its exports by trade value, benefiting key labour-intensive sectors such as textiles, leather, footwear, gems and jewellery, marine products, and agricultural commodities.

In return, India will reduce or eliminate duties on over 92 per cent of tariff lines covering EU exports, with phased liberalisation protecting sensitive domestic sectors.

Bilateral trade between India and the EU stood at approximately USD 136.5 billion in 2024–25, while services trade reached USD 83.1 billion, highlighting the untapped potential of the partnership.

Officials said the strengthened economic framework complements growing strategic and defence engagement, providing momentum for deeper cooperation between India, Greece and the broader European Union.