Significant concern has arisen in Turkey as a result of rumors of a possible missile contract between Greece and India, underscoring the changing alliances and expanding military cooperation between Athens and New Delhi.
India’s Long-Range Land Attack Cruise Missile (LR-LACM), created by the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), is the subject of this conjecture. It is said to have a range of up to 1,500 km and be capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear bombs.
Indian Air Force Chief Marshal AP Singh had lengthy talks with his Greek counterpart during a recent high-profile visit to Athens. The focus of the discussions was on strengthening operational cooperation, sharing combat experience, and training together, particularly on lessons learned from India’s recent “Operation Sindoor.”
According to Greek media and defense specialists, India has made an unofficial offer to supply Greece with the LR-LACM missile, which was on display at the DEFEA 2025 defense exhibition in Athens. But neither Greek nor Indian authorities have formally confirmed it, and the talks are still taking place behind the doors.
First successfully tested in November 2024, the LR-LACM is a subsonic cruise missile that marks a significant advancement in Indian-made missile technology. It has sophisticated terrain-hugging flying to avoid radar detection and is built for precision strikes against high-value targets, including as airbases, radar sites, and air defense systems.
Greece would be able to target Turkey’s sophisticated S-400 air defense systems and major military installations located deep within Turkish territory, such as airbases in Izmir and Çanakkale, according to the missile’s range and capabilities.
Concerned Turkish media have characterized the purported missile offer as a direct threat to Turkey and a potential act of reprisal for Ankara’s recent military assistance to Pakistan during the May 2025 India-Pakistan crisis.
However, India’s volley of sophisticated air defense missiles, including the domestically produced Akashteer System, outclassed Turkey’s drones. Turkish media have reported on a potential market decline following the humiliating destruction of its allegedly advanced drones supplied days after the horrifying Pahalgam terror attacks, which may have damaged Turkey’s reputation as a dependable and high-tech source for military hardware in the global market.
With headlines warning that Greece may now “target Ankara” with Indian missiles, reports in publications like TR Haber have characterized the action as an act of “revenge” by India. Turkish defense circles are especially worried that the LR-LACM would give Athens a strong deterrent and the capacity to proactively eliminate Turkish military assets in the event of confrontation if it were integrated with Greece’s fleet of Rafale and F-16 Viper aircraft.
This development coincides with already strained relations between India and Turkey, which have been made worse by Turkey’s close military ties to Pakistan and its provision of weaponry and drones during Operation Sindoor.
It also aligns with Greece’s larger military modernization program, which aims to construct a multi-layered “Achilles Shield” over the Aegean, phase out obsolete Russian-made systems, and acquire new Israeli and Western air defense capabilities.
This most recent escalation is set against the backdrop of Greece and Turkey’s long-standing rivalry, which has been characterized by conflicts over the Aegean Sea, airspace violations, the Cyprus issue, and competition for oil resources.
The possibility of Greece obtaining a long-range, precision-strike capacity from India is viewed as a potential game-changer in the regional balance of power, despite the fact that both countries are members of NATO.
Even though the India-Greece missile deal is still speculative, Turkey has already responded strongly to the heightened tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean. The circumstance highlights the region’s quickly changing defense dynamics and the expanding strategic alliance between Greece and India.
