ATHENS – Greek-Indian relations, their historical depth, and today’s prospects in fields of special interest for mutually beneficial collaborations, as well as the role of the Greek diaspora in the large Asian country, were the focus of a comprehensive interview with the Greek historian, Distinguished Fellow at the United Service Institution of India, Vasileios Syros. In his conversation with The National Herald, he noted: “We are at a unique historical juncture.”
The National Herald: In September 2023, Narendra Modi made the first official visit of an Indian Prime Minister to Athens after 40 years, and Kyriakos Mitsotakis reciprocated with a trip to India this past February. Prof. Syros, what is the state of relations between the two countries in 2024, and how have they changed in recent years?
Vasileios Syros: I have the sense that we are in a unique historical juncture in which Greece and India are encountering each other after a hiatus of centuries. The visits of the two Prime Ministers, as well as various senior government and military officials in recent months, signal a new chapter in Greece-India relations. India is gradually evolving from a regional power into a superpower and is seeking new markets, new interlocutors and allies, and new ways to strengthen its international presence and influence while projecting its soft power. For India, Greece is what the Indians call a ‘low-hanging fruit’, that is, a potential partner in the Western bloc and a member of the EU and NATO which could be cultivated without a lot effort, given that both Greece and India are the cradles of two of the world’s oldest civilizations and have maintained friendly ties throughout history.
However, beyond political realism, economic interests, and the strategic priorities that shape the actions of each country in the international arena, India, precisely because of its long cultural heritage, is becoming increasingly aware of its historical responsibility to contribute to global peace, stability, and security in a world plagued by intense conflicts and geopolitical upheavals.
TNH: The implementation of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) has become a key priority for both nations. What does IMEC practically mean for India, on one hand, and for Greece, on the other?
VS: IMEC is an ambitious project of paramount importance for India. From a geopolitical perspective, it has the potential to counterbalance China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Through IMEC, India aspires to strengthen its trade footprint in the Middle East and Europe. In this context, Greece’s role as an entry point for products emanating from India – and potentially from other countries of South and Southeast Asia – is elevated.
However, the implementation of the whole endeavor is contingent upon many variables, such as the interchange between the land and maritime elements, i.e., railway and shipping networks, respectively. Also, the corridor will pass through a highly volatile region like the Middle East. Although the Abraham Accords were a favorable development, the Israel-Hamas war and the crisis in the Red Sea have essentially put the new economic axis connecting India with Europe on hold.
Moreover, there is another significant aspect to the IMEC project, specifically the cultural foundations for commercial and economic connections between India, on one hand, and the Near East and the Mediterranean on the other. Incidentally, this was one of the central themes of the seminar ‘India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor: Historical Perspectives and Future Implications’, which was organized by the Maritime History Society in Mumbai on June 13, 2024, where I had the honor of being invited as a speaker.
TNH: Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi, Chief of the Naval Staff of India, recently visited Greece. Given India’s military strength and the two nations’ shared perceptions of international law, can India become a valuable military-defense partner?
VS: India sees Greece as a credible and reliable strategic ally who is committed to the ideals of democracy and the principles of international law. Due to its historical depth, Greece can provide an additional communication channel for New Delhi. Both countries face similar geopolitical challenges and threats. India seeks to expand and renew its naval fleet and build a powerful commercial fleet. In this regard, Greece’s expertise and rich maritime tradition will be a valuable asset. Greece’s advantageous geographic position can facilitate India’s access to Europe. India has expressed interest in Greek ports – just as it did with Haifa in Israel. India, due to its diverse terrain and the fact that its armed forces have been tested both in combat operations as well as in UN peacekeeping missions, among others, is a repository of lessons that could be related to the Greek case as well. Finally, India is in the process of reassessing the indigenous traditions of political and strategic thought as they evolved on the Indian subcontinent.
These concerns incubated the creation of the research program ‘Udbhav’ (‘evolution’ in Sanskrit) under the auspices of the Centre for Military History & Conflict Studies at the United Service Institution of India, South Asia’s oldest (est. 1870) and most important think tank for research on national security affairs and military history, in collaboration with the Army Training Command, one of the seven commands of the Indian Army.
The aforementioned program, in which I had the opportunity to participate as a founding member, aims to chart the emergence and formation of indigenous models of military organization and strategic leadership in India and could also serve as a platform for the comparative exploration of the Indian and Greek classics.
TNH: When do the origins of relations between Greece and India historically date back to, and how have they evolved over the centuries?
VS: In ancient Greek philosophy, there occur ideas that echo the Indian tradition. Authors, such as Herodotus and Xenophon, make general references to the Indies. The first period of Greco-Indian relations began with the campaign of Alexander the Great and the formation of the Indo-Greek Kingdom. One of the main sources on Buddhism is The Questions of Milinda, a fictional dialogue about philosophical questions between the Indo-Greek King Menander I (Milinda) and Nagasena, a Buddhist monk and scholar. The spread of Islam on the Indian subcontinent, and particularly the establishment of the Mughal Empire, played a key role in the dissemination of ancient Greek philosophy and science through works in Arabic and Persian, thereby marking a second phase of contacts between Greek and Indian civilizations. The creation of the Greek community in Calcutta and the literary and translation activities of Demetrios Galanos, a major figure in the history of Indology, are key milestones in the 18th/19th centuries.
Greek Antiquity had a strong influence on prominent figures of modern Indian political and intellectual life, such as Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru. These are indicative examples of intersection/convergences between the Greek and Indian civilizations, among many others, that merit detailed study.
TNH: I couldn’t help but ask you about the Greek diaspora in the large Asian country.
VS: In modern times, India hosted a thriving Greek community in Calcutta, which produced the significant Ralli trading company. The situation in contemporary India is very different, since there is no longer a cohesive Greek community. The disproportion and asymmetry between the size of the Indian community in Greece and the Greek diaspora in India complicate Track II diplomacy, i.e., dialogue and interaction between representatives of the two nations without government mediation or involvement. Speaking of the diaspora, a critical dimension of Greco-Indian relations broadly constituted is, of course, the cooperation between the Greek and Indian diasporas, especially in the United States.
TNH: What image do Indians have of Greece and Greeks and how do you perceive this as a member of the Greek diaspora? It’s worth noting the existence of the Dimitrios Galanos Chair of Greek Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in New Delhi.
VS: In India, there is a romanticized, perhaps idealized, view of Greece and Greeks. To be honest, of all the nations I have visited, Indians are among the very few whose opinion of Greece has not been influenced by the debt crisis in 2010. Paradoxically, whereas Indians hold Greek civilization in high regard, Greek/classical studies are at an embryonic stage. With the exception of very few isolated pockets where Greek literature and philosophy are taught, the Greek Studies Chair at JNU, one of India’s most emblematic universities, was the first sustained attempt aimed at the systematic teaching the Greek language and civilization. Ideally, there should be at least one similar chair in every state of India. With the necessary staffing – the Chair at JNU could coordinate this endeavor and at the same play a vital role in cultivating Greek Studies in South Asia and in countries that, from India’s viewpoint, are part of its cultural orbit.
