PM Modi’s Historic Cyprus Visit: What’s At Stake For India-Europe Ties?
PM Modi's has become the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Cyprus in over 20 years. Image courtesy: X.com/@narendramodi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Cyprus on Sunday (June 14) for a two-day visit, the first by an Indian prime minister in over two decades. His arrival at Larnaca International Airport was marked by a rare diplomatic gesture, with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos personally welcoming him.
The visit is being viewed as strategically significant not just for India-Cyprus ties, but also for India’s broader ambitions of establishing a viable trade corridor to Europe, even as tensions escalate in the Middle East (West Asia).
Why is Modi’s visit to Cyprus being called historic?
This is the first prime ministerial visit from India to Cyprus in more than twenty years. Cyprus, a member of both the European Union and the Commonwealth, occupies a key geostrategic position at the southeastern frontier of the EU and the gateway to the Mediterranean.
President Christodoulides described Modi’s arrival as marking “a new chapter in a strategic partnership that knows no limits.” The warm reception by top Cypriot leadership, as well as members of the Indian diaspora chanting patriotic slogans like ‘Vande Mataram’ and ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ at Modi’s hotel, highlighted the symbolic and diplomatic weight of the visit.
How does Cyprus fit into India’s broader trade and diplomatic vision?
A major focus of the visit is Cyprus’ potential role in the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEC) — a proposed trade and infrastructure initiative that would connect Indian ports to Europe via the Arabian Peninsula and the eastern Mediterranean.
President Christodoulides confirmed this strategic ambition, stating that one of the key objectives of the ongoing discussions is facilitating India’s entry into European markets “through the Republic of Cyprus.” As the island nation prepares to assume the rotating presidency of the EU in early 2026, India’s outreach could help it secure a stronger foothold in Europe’s trade and policy circles.
The IMEC project has gained prominence amid geopolitical realignments and seeks to counterbalance Chinese-led initiatives such as the Belt and Road.
What is on the agenda during the visit?
- During his stay in Nicosia and Limassol, PM Modi will:
- Hold formal bilateral talks with President Christodoulides
- Address a high-level business forum with Cypriot and Indian industry leaders
- Discuss cooperation in trade, technology, investment, security, and people-to-people ties
- Reinforce Cyprus’ role in India’s Mediterranean outreach
In a departure statement issued in New Delhi before embarking on the tour, Modi called Cyprus “a close friend and an important partner in the Mediterranean and the EU.” He said the visit offers an opportunity to expand collaboration in areas such as technology, investment, and counter-terrorism.
How does this fit into Modi’s larger diplomatic tour?
Cyprus is the first stop on PM Modi’s three-nation tour that also includes Canada, where he will attend the G7 Summit in Kananaskis at the invitation of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
PM Modi is to Croatia as well, where he is set to hold bilateral meetings with President Zoran Milanović and Prime Minister Andrej Plenković.
Modi said the trip is also an opportunity to thank partner countries for their support to India in combating cross-border terrorism and to promote global consensus on confronting terror in all its forms— a thinly veiled jab at Pakistan.
