India’s enhanced naval activity in the Eastern Mediterranean and South Caucasus marks a major strategic shift aimed at countering Turkey’s regional influence. The move is directly linked to tensions following Operation Sindoor, when Ankara sent a warship to Karachi in support of Pakistan.

Since then, Indian warships have maintained a consistent presence near Turkish waters, signalling a deliberate maritime posture that blends deterrence with alliance-building.

Turkey’s historical support for Pakistan provides the backdrop for these developments. Ankara has supplied arms, trained Pakistani troops, and provided Bayraktar TB-2 drones, which were used in hostile operations against India.

Turkish dictator Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's repeated public statements on Kashmir, including at the United Nations, further deepened the diplomatic rift. India’s pivot to strengthening ties with Turkey’s rivals represents a calculated response to these provocations.

In the Caucasus, Armenia has emerged as a frontline strategic partner for India. Since 2022, New Delhi has supplied Yerevan with Akash-1S air defence systems, Pinaka rocket artillery, anti-tank munitions, and advanced anti-drone technologies.

This partnership not only bolsters Armenia’s military against Turkey-backed Azerbaijan but also creates the possibility of Indian and Turkish military assets facing each other in any future regional flashpoint.

Greece stands out in India’s Mediterranean strategy, sharing common opposition to Turkey’s expansive maritime and airspace claims. In the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attacks, Greece expressed public solidarity with India and sought operational guidance on Rafale fighter jets, alongside combat data-sharing arrangements.

Indian naval units have deepened maritime interoperability with the Hellenic Navy, as seen with August 2025 PASSEX drills by INS Tamal and September’s bilateral exercise involving INS Trikand, focused on anti-submarine warfare, night boarding operations, and coordinated gunnery. Reports suggest India is considering supplying Greece with long-range land-attack cruise missiles (range 1,000–1,500 km), potentially shifting the strategic equation in the Aegean.

Cyprus, long opposed to Turkish occupation in the northern part of the island, has also been drawn into India’s evolving regional framework. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s June 2025 visit—the first by an Indian leader in 23 years—produced a five-year strategic partnership covering cybersecurity, counter-terrorism intelligence, anti-trafficking measures, and expanded naval cooperation.

This relationship was reinforced in September 2025 when INS Trikand conducted PASSEX drills with the Cypriot Navy at Limassol, cementing Indian influence in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Strategically, India is weaving together defence technology transfers, naval deployments, and diplomatic outreach into a coherent plan to encircle Turkey’s sphere of influence.

Cooperation with Greece, Cyprus, and Armenia establishes a maritime and geopolitical corridor that places pressure on Ankara from multiple directions. Defence analysts highlight that the deployment of INS Trikand and other Indian assets symbolises India’s readiness to push back against Turkish manoeuvres while supporting allies with concrete military capabilities.

This long-term strategy reflects India’s intent to become a proactive actor well beyond its immediate neighbourhood. Through sustained naval presence, targeted weapons sales, and alignment with nations opposing Turkish policies, New Delhi is securing strategic depth from the Mediterranean to the Caucasus—reshaping regional power balances in the process.

Based On Zee News Report