France- Greece sign defence deal

France and Greece signed a multibillion-euro defence deal on September 27, 2021, to boost the defence capabilities.

Highlights

• The defence deal includes Athens’ decision to buy three French warships under a strategy of boosting its defence capacities across the Eastern Mediterranean amid recurring tensions with Turkey.
• President of France Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced the defence and security strategic partnership at a joint news conference in Paris.
• Defence partnership between both the countries will increase and intensify cooperation among them in the defence and security sector on the basis of mutual interests.
• It will also help in protect the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity in both the states.

About the deal

• Under the defence deal, Greece will purchase three French frigates. Frigates would be built by defence contractor Naval Group in Lorient, in western
• Deal also includes an option for acquisition of a fourth frigate.

Background

• This announcement was made at the key time for France after it lost a USD 66 billion deal recently of selling diesel-electric submarines to Australia. Instead of France’s submarines, Australia chose to acquire nuclear-powered submarines from US.
• The three-way strategic defence alliance between Australia, the UK and the US was a shocking event to France.

Greece-France defence deal

Greece has already bought 18 French Rafale fighter jets. It has also planned to purchase another six jets, under a program in order to modernize its armed forces.

Significance of the deal

Deal between France and Greece is significant considering the tensions between Greece and Turkey, that have increased in recent years over gas exploration rights across the eastern Mediterranean and waters between both the countries.

Month: Current Affairs - September, 2021