India’s High Commissioner to Cyprus, H.E. Manish, highlighted the deepening friendship between India and Cyprus, India’s steadfast support for the Republic of Cyprus, and the growing opportunities for bilateral cooperation during the Diwali celebration held at the Presidential Palace.
Addressing President Nikos Christodoulides, the First Lady, dignitaries, business representatives and members of the Indian community, the High Commissioner thanked the President and First Lady for opening the Presidential Palace to India’s Festival of Lights. He described the gesture as deeply meaningful for Indians living in Cyprus, saying it showed that their traditions are welcomed, their contributions valued and their happiness shared.
Speaking on behalf of the Government and people of India, the High Commission of India and the Indian community in Cyprus, Manish also thanked Dipak Kumar and the Help2Live Charity Foundation for organising the Diwali Glow celebration in collaboration with the High Commission of India.
The High Commissioner described Diwali as a festival celebrated in countless personal ways: families reunited, new businesses beginning, children lighting their first diya (Indian oil lamp) and neighbours sharing sweets. For many, he said, it recalls the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya and a city illuminating the way home.
At its heart, he said, Diwali expresses a belief that speaks to all humanity: goodness deserves courage, knowledge deserves pursuit, and hope deserves care. Quoting the ancient Indian prayer, “Lead me from darkness to light,” Manish said the light of knowledge grows when children can learn, dignity grows when people in difficulty receive help, and friendship grows when people take one another’s concerns seriously.
Celebrating with Help2Live, he added, gives the evening special meaning because it reminds us that generosity belongs at the heart of prosperity.
Turning to bilateral relations, the High Commissioner said India and Cyprus understand the value of a friendship sustained across generations. Both countries, he noted, carry the inheritance of ancient civilisations and the confidence of modern democracies.
“India’s support for the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity of the Republic of Cyprus remains steadfast,” Manish said. He described this continuity of trust as the foundation of the expanding partnership between the two countries.
He highlighted the momentum created by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Cyprus in June 2025 and President Christodoulides’ state visit to India in May 2026, during which the two countries elevated their ties to a strategic partnership. This partnership, he said, carries a responsibility to create opportunities that people in both countries can see, use and benefit from.
The High Commissioner identified shipping, ports and maritime services as a particularly important area of cooperation. Indian seafarers, engineers and maritime professionals already work alongside Cypriot expertise to keep global commerce moving, he said. The first India-Cyprus Joint Committee meeting in the maritime sector took place in September, while Deputy Minister of Shipping Marina Hadjimanolis is expected to lead a delegation to India later this month to explore further opportunities in shipping, maritime services, investment and training.
Manish also pointed to the potential for closer cooperation in banking, trade and business. He cited the partnership between Eurobank and NPCI International, which enables payments through India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI), as an example of practical connectivity between the two countries.
He welcomed the conclusion of negotiations on the India-EU Free Trade Agreement in January, during Cyprus’s presidency of the Council of the European Union, describing it as a major new prospect for India–Europe engagement. He also referred to the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor as a wider vision of connectivity, in which Cyprus can contribute through its maritime capability, strategic Mediterranean location and ambition.
Education, research and innovation were also central themes of the address. The High Commissioner said universities, researchers and entrepreneurs can bring young Indians and Cypriots together around shared challenges, including cleaner energy, sustainable growth and technology that improves everyday life. He welcomed the forthcoming Chair of Indian Studies at the University of Nicosia, which he said will allow a new generation to engage more deeply with India’s history, political processes, thought and contemporary transformation.
Defence and security have also emerged as a key pillar of the relationship, guided by the India-Cyprus roadmap for 2026–2031. Manish said both countries share a determination to confront cross-border terrorism and to promote peace, secure seas and resilient societies.
The High Commissioner highlighted a recent example of practical cooperation: the rescue of the crew of the vessel AS Dream, which sank off the coast of Cyprus on 30 October. The response coordinated by the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Larnaca and Cypriot rescue services brought all ten crew members to safety, nine of whom were Indian nationals. India, he said, offers its heartfelt thanks to everyone involved and to the authorities that assisted the Indian nationals afterwards.
Paying tribute to the Indian community in Cyprus, Manish thanked its members for their contribution across offices, universities, shops, businesses, farms, hospitality and care settings. He also thanked Cypriot society for the welcome and friendship extended to the Indian community.
Noting that India and Cyprus will mark 65 years of diplomatic relations on 10 February next year, the High Commissioner said the anniversary should be approached with gratitude for those who built the friendship and ambition for the generation that will inherit it.
“May they inherit more opportunities to study together, create together, trade together, and serve together,” he said. “May they know the confidence of having a trusted friend across the sea.”
Closing his address, Manish returned to the symbolism of the diya. “A diya is small enough to hold in the palm of a hand,” he said. “Yet from it, another lamp can be lit, and then another. May the light we share tonight reach beyond this palace into our communities, our partnership, and every home in Cyprus and in India.”
