Greece must strengthen cooperation with allied nations while investing in defense capabilities, Defense Minister Nikos Dendias said Monday, warning that global security and peace can no longer be taken for granted.

“Neither security is a given, nor is peace the condition in which the planet lives,” Dendias said, stressing the need to enhance deterrence and work with “friendly countries that share our concerns.”

Speaking at the “Defense Tech: Creating the Greek ecosystem of defense digital technologies” event, he highlighted the growing role of technology in national defense, calling it “a central question for our era… for the defense of our homeland… for its existence.”

Dendias outlined a shift in strategy, including the establishment of an Innovation Directorate within the Armed Forces and closer ties with the Greek Defense Innovation Center (ELKAK) and the broader innovation ecosystem.

He pointed to a recently announced ELKAK competition for an unmanned surface vessel (USV), inviting Greek firms to submit designs based on Navy specifications. “We are thus incentivizing new companies, new minds, to come up with innovative solutions,” he added.

The minister also flagged Greece’s heavy reliance on defense imports, calling the imbalance “tragic,” with a current ratio exceeding 95% imports to 5% exports. The government aims to improve this to 75%-25%, he noted.

Source: Ekathimerini.com