High Commissioner Manish: PM's visit reaffirms India's strategic vision for deepened engagement with Cyprus

The Indian Prime Minister's visit to Cyprus reaffirms India’s strategic vision for deepened engagement with Cyprus, the Mediterranean, and the European Union, and sets the stage for tangible advances in security, economic, technological, and diplomatic cooperation, the Indian High Commissioner to Cyprus, Shri Manish has said.

Speaking to CNA, he noted that, in the near future, India and Cyprus will work to launch a five-year Action Plan.

Asked by CNA to comment on the visit of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to Cyprus, he said that “Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s official visit to the Republic of Cyprus on 15–16 June 2025, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in over two decades, marks a historic milestone in our shared and enduring friendship."

He noted that "in a special gesture that underscored the warmth and depth of bilateral ties, President Christodoulides personally welcomed Prime Minister Modi at the airport—an expression of the close friendship that define the India–Cyprus relationship."

The visit, he stressed, reaffirmed the deep strategic partnership between India and Cyprus, rooted in mutual trust and respect, and guided by shared values including peace and effective multilateralism.

"In wide-ranging discussions, both leaders reaffirmed their unwavering support for each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, underscoring India’s consistent backing for Cyprus’s unity and a peaceful resolution of the Cyprus Question," he stressed. 

Moreover, the High Commissioner said that Prime Minister Modi appreciated Cyprus’s strong condemnation of the barbaric terrorist attack in Pahalgam in April 2025 and its solidarity with India in the global fight against terrorism, reflecting a shared commitment to counter hybrid threats.

The two sides, he added, reviewed their already strong cooperation in areas like trade, investment, science, and culture, and looked to the future by identifying new areas of partnership - ranging from fintech and start-ups to digitalisation, artificial intelligence, and mobility.

"To give direction to this growing partnership, both leaders agreed to draw up a five-year roadmap that will guide joint efforts in strategic areas. The roadmap also includes plans for real-time information-sharing to tackle common threats such as terrorism, arms smuggling, and drug trafficking."

Furthermore, he said that both leaders acknowledged the synergy between Cyprus’s Vision 2035—its roadmap to become a regional hub of sustainability and innovation—and India’s Vision 2047, which aspires to build a developed, inclusive, and self-reliant nation by the centenary of its independence.

The High Commissioner said that both leaders welcomed the 2025 Bilateral Defence Cooperation Programme and the establishment of the India-Greece-Cyprus Business and Investment Council.

"Air connectivity between India and Cyprus was noted as a key driver to boost business, tourism, education, and innovation."

They also underlined the importance of the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), which, he went on to say, could be a game-changer for regional trade and stability.

High Commissioner Manish told CNA that both the leaders reaffirmed their commitment to multilateralism and global governance reform, including a reformed and expanded UN Security Council with India as a permanent member.

Several crucial milestones were achieved during and on the sidelines of this significant meeting, he said, adding that NSE International Exchange (NSE IX), based in GIFT City, Gandhinagar signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Cyprus Stock Exchange (CSE) to foster a broad range of collaborative initiatives including cross and dual listings, co-development of innovative financial products.

Moreover, an MoU to establish an India Studies ICCR Chair at the University of Nicosia was signed.

"This would be first such chair in the Republic of Cyprus," the High Commissioner pointed out.

Eurobank signed a MoU with the Indian Chamber of Commerce to further strengthen the India – Cyprus economic corridor in the area of banking and financial services, he said.

In the near future, the High Commissioner noted, "India and Cyprus will work to launch a five-year Action Plan under the supervision of the India’s Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Cyprus to guide the growth of our bilateral relations."

"The visit reaffirms India’s strategic vision for deepened engagement with Cyprus, the Mediterranean, and the European Union, and sets the stage for tangible advances in security, economic, technological, and diplomatic cooperation," he concluded. 

(Source: CNA)