- Calls Defence Spending a Lever for Growth
- Charts 20-Year Vision
By Sangeeta Saxena
Athens. 06 May 2025. Greek Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias inaugurated the DEFEA 2025 International Exhibition for Defence, Security and Technology on Tuesday, positioning Greece at the heart of global security cooperation and defence innovation. The biennial exhibition is being held at the Metropolitan Expo Centre near Athens International Airport and brings together industry leaders, government officials, and defence stakeholders from across the world.
In his keynote address, Minister Dendias underscored Greece’s commitment to reshaping defence spending into a strategic tool for economic growth and technological advancement. “For the first time, defence 
spending is being viewed as a lever for economic growth and an area of cooperation with friendly countries,” he said. “If made properly, it may create wealth, highly skilled jobs, and foster export-oriented activities that strengthen our national security.”
This year’s edition of DEFEA marks a record number of participants, reflecting Greece’s growing stature as a credible player in defence innovation. “DEFEA is not just a showcase; it’s a platform for the exchange of ideas, for collective security, and strategic collaboration,” Dendias stated, thanking all stakeholders for making the exhibition a global success.
Central to the Minister’s vision is the integration of Greece’s domestic defence industry with global technological trends. He emphasised the role of the Hellenic Center of Defence and Innovation (ELKAK), which is now operational with ten research programmes and another eleven planned by year-end. ELKAK is tasked with aligning the capabilities of Greek academia and research centres with the operational needs of the Armed Forces.
“Through ELKAK, Greece is pursuing advancements in artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, cyber operations, and space applications,” Dendias said, noting that such investments serve both national security and economic competitiveness.
He outlined two key strategic objectives: expanding the domestic industry’s role in armaments programmes and cultivating a robust, self-reliant innovation ecosystem. The Long-Term Defence Armaments Plan (LTDAP), covering a 20-year horizon, will provide predictability to the sector and aims for 25% of procurement to come from Greek companies.
In a firm stance against past inefficiencies and corruption, Dendias committed to transparency in all defence procurement. “Corruption is not just a moral problem — it is a developmental and economic issue that distorts priorities and discourages honest companies and start-ups,” he said.
He referenced past defence spending amounting to over €270 billion (adjusted for current value) as a missed opportunity, saying more strategic choices could have turned Greece into a major defence exporter. “We cannot repeat those mistakes,” he added.
Dendias also invited political parties and civil society to propose further transparency measures and reiterated the government’s readiness to adopt reasonable proposals.
On the sidelines of the exhibition, Dendias held key bilateral meetings, including with the President of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides, Armenian Defence Minister Suren Papikyan, and Cabo Verde’s Defence Minister Janine Lélis. Notably, Greece and Cabo Verde signed a Memorandum of Cooperation focused on military training and capacity-building.
He also underlined Greece’s support for European initiatives like the ReArm Europe programme, calling it “a driver of strategic autonomy and solidarity.” He added: “Greece wants to be a hub of cooperation, and DEFEA is the ideal forum for this ambition.”
The opening ceremony was attended by senior Greek military leadership, ministers from various portfolios, and high-ranking foreign officials, including defence ministers from Hungary and the UK, and delegations from NATO and EU member states. On the part of the Military Leadership, the ceremony was also attended by the Chief HAGS Lieutenant General Georgios Kostidis, the Chief HNGS Vice Admiral Dimitrios – Eleftherios Kataras, the Chief HAFGS Lieutenant General Dimosthenis Grigoriadis, the Director General of the MOD’s General Directorate for Defence Investments and Armaments Major General Ioannis Bouras, as well as representatives of the Security Forces.
As Dendias concluded, “Our path is strategic, not circumstantial. We aim to build a healthy, export-oriented ecosystem that strengthens both our economy and our deterrence. It is, I believe, the only path forward.”
