Sending a strong signal to Turkey, strengthening India’s EU pivot: Read why PM Modi’s landmark visit to Cyprus is strategically significant
On 15th June Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in Cyprus, signifying the first visit by an Indian premier to the island nation in 23 years. He traveled there along with a substantial delegation of approximately 100 officials at the request of President Nicos Christodoulides. The trip also includes Canada for the G7 summit and Croatia as part of the three-nation itinerary.
The visit possesses considerable geopolitical importance in light of the strengthening relations between Turkey and Pakistan. It is regarded as an attempt to balance Ankara’s regional assertiveness, increase bilateral cooperation with a reliable ally and expand New Delhi’s involvement in Europe and the Mediterranean. Consequently, Cyprus has become a crucial part of India’s regional geopolitical strategy.
Meanwhile, on 16th June, PM Modi received the highest honor in Cyprus, the Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III, from President Christodoulides.
The last Indian prime minister to visit Cyprus was Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2002 after Indira Gandhi in 1982. The outreach has taken place at a moment when the relationship with Turkey is highly strained because of its overt support for Pakistan during “Operation Sindoor” which even led to massive boycott calls from Indians.
Deeper cooperation with Cyprus and consequently Greece has been viewed as a strategic counterbalance, as the use of drones provided by Turkey in assaults on India by Islamabad added to New Delhi’s concerns.
Interestingly, the timing of PM Modi’s arrival in Cyprus aligned with rising tensions in West Asia. His official aircraft had to take a different route because the airspace in Israel, Iran and momentarily in Lebanon were closed. It had to fly through the Arabian Sea, Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Egypt before arriving on the island.
Bitter relationship between Cyprus and Turkey
Cyprus is an island near Syria and Turkey in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. It is situated at the intersection of Europe, Western Asia and Africa, playing a vital role in logistics and trade routes. It is a member of the European Union (EU), notwithstanding its geographical location in Asia.
Cyprus gained independence from the British in 1960. Only three years later, the uneasy power sharing between its two main communities, Greek and Turkish Cypriots erupted into violence, prompting the deployment of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force.
With the Greek Junta’s assistance, the Greek Cypriots staged a coup in 1974 in an attempt to unite the island with Greece. Afterward, Turkey launched an invasion and although Nicosia’s legal government was reinstated, Turkish troops have never completely left from there.
In fact, its northeastern region has proclaimed independence as the “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus,” a status that is recognized only by Ankara which maintains remote control over the one-third of the nation as Greek Cypriots govern the two-thirds of the land, which is recognized as the “Republic of Cyprus.”
Image via Mappr
This persistent division has yet to be resolved as the latter continues to deploy troops in the area, in defiance of United Nations resolutions that advocate for a reunified island governed by a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation. The United Nations has unsuccessfully tried numerous times to mediate and assist the two sides negotiate.
Encounters involving the leaders of Turkey and Cyprus are uncommon and generally take place by chance. The lack of diplomatic relations between the two nations is a consequence of the ugly conflict that has lasted for decades, leading to further disputes and confrontations between the two sides.
Signal to Turkey
Turkey aims to become a significant force in the politics of Indian subcontinent and the Muslim world. India wants to send a clear message to Ankara to change its stance on Pakistan and Jammu and Kashmir because it is infuriated at the country’s support for the terror state. Turkey has always maintained that India and Pakistan should work together to find a solution to the bilateral problem of Jammu and Kashmir.
It did not talk about the local plebiscite or the United Nations resolution. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, however, offered to negotiate when he visited Pakistan in 2024 as his government changed its position on the issue in recent months. He remarked that Turkey would act solely if there was mutual agreement from the two sides as it maintains close relations with both.
Nevertheless, Ankara procured Pakistani Super Mushshak trainers in addition to providing Pakistan with its corvettes under the MILGEM project, much to India’s dismay. The former previously supplied Pakistan with Songar and Bayraktar drones. Additionally, it agreed to refurbish 41 of Pakistan’s F-16 fighter jets for $75 million.
It even delivered an electronic warfare training range and sophisticated targeting pods for Pakistan’s JF-17 aircraft. The National Aerospace Science and Technology Park in Pakistan and Turkish drone company Baykar inked an agreement in 2023 to collaborate on the development of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).
An IC-130 Turkish Air Force aircraft landed in Pakistan on 27th April and a Turkish Navy anti-submarine corvette docked at Karachi port on 2nd May, to aid Pakistan and send a strong message to India at a time when tensions between the two neighbours were at their highest after the 22nd April Pahalgam terrorist attack.
PM Modi’s journey to Cyprus and possible touring of the United Nations-controlled buffer zone (Green Line) could be interpreted as a strong statement of support for Cyprus in the face of Turkish expansionism. This serves India’s larger goal of diplomatically isolating Islamabad along with opposing the expanding Turkey-Pakistan axis.
Cyprus has already demonstrated its closeness to India by firmly supporting its positions on terrorism, Kashmir and the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) reforms. Cyprus not only condemned the Pahalgam incident but also declared that it intends to highlight the subject of Pakistan’s cross-border terrorism at the European Union.
As a result, the visit supports India’s Mediterranean strategy by lining up with a significant regional actor who opposes Turkey’s aggression.
Cyprus essential to EU and Mediterranean outreach
Cyprus plays a crucial part in India’s larger infrastructure and commerce goals because of its location in the Eastern Mediterranean. It has been recognized as a potential logistical hub along the route that connects Indian ports to European markets via the Middle East, as New Delhi pushes for the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).
Cyprus is included in the pivotal corridor. According to the Indian Envoy, Delhi is working to achieve the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047 through the India-Cyprus Economic Corridor. “We have a policy to become a ‘developed India’ by 2047, and they have ‘Vision 2035,’ so there is a synergy there. I think advantage of Cyprus is that it can serve as a gateway to the European Union as well as the larger region around it,” he highlighted.
Image via La Jaune et la Rouge
There are substantial offshore energy resources in the Eastern Mediterranean as well and Cyprus is a key player in regional gas development initiatives. India’s goal of diversifying its energy imports is in line with this strategic priority.
PM Modi visit addressed ways to strengthen energy cooperation, particularly in face of simmering regional tensions over claims to sea resources by other countries, particularly Turkey. The Eastern Mediterranean natural gas exploration market remains fraught with contentions because of its drilling operations.
Likewise, the opening of a representative office in Mumbai by Eurobank, one of the largest banks in Cyprus, aims to facilitate the entry of Indian companies into the European Union and foster the flow of capital and business between Europe, the Middle East, Africa and South Asia.
The island is a great place for Indian businesses looking to enter the European market because of its developed financial services sector, advantageous tax structure and well-established maritime industry.
Another strong argument for India to strengthen ties is the country’s upcoming presidency of the European Union Council in the first half of 2026. India’s aspirations to secure wider commercial accords with the bloc, such as the proposed India-EU Free Trade Agreement, which both parties seek to finalize by the end of 2025, can be fueled by a solid engagement with Nicosia.
Image via BBC
PM Modi’s visit leverages the nation’s influence within the EU to help open the door for more robust India-EU cooperation on trade, security and global governance concerns. India’s global initiatives are also expected to receive further EU endorsement owing to strengthened ties with Cyprus.
Cyprus, which is embroiled in territorial conflicts with Turkey and is dealing with security issues, is eager to increase defense cooperation and would appreciate any help from India. The fact that PM Modi’s visit came before his departure for Canada and attendance at the G7 Summit is also indicative of New Delhi’s efforts to rally international support in the wake of “Operation Sindoor.”
Strong ties between New Delhi and Nicosia
India has constantly advocated for a solution to the dispute plaguing Cyprus that is grounded in European Union principles, international law and United Nations (UN) resolutions. It maintains that the only acceptable political solution for the divided island is a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation.
Three Indian officers, Lieutenant General PS Gyani, Major General Diwan Prem Chand, and General KS Thimayya, have served as Force Commanders for the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), demonstrating New Delhi’s significant commitment to the organization.
Thimayya who died while serving in Cyprus is honored locally with a 1966 postage stamp and a street bearing his name. One Indian Army officer remains involved in the United Nations peacekeeping effort as of the middle of 2025.
Image via CollectorBazar
Cyprus has also steadfastly backed India’s global ambitions and always supported its fight against terrorism.. The island nation has openly supported India’s bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council as well as the India-United States Civil Nuclear Agreement, in international regulatory bodies including the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).
The signing of several Memoranda of Understanding between Indian and Cypriot companies during the business roundtable held in Limassol, which was attended by both PM Modi and President Christodoulides, greatly enhanced bilateral interaction between the two countries.
Formal agreements were made between the Cyprus Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange International Exchange which is in Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT) of Gujarat.
The agreement between National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), International Payments Limited (NIPL) and Eurobank Cyprus to activate India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in the country represented yet another critical milestone, enabling smooth cross-border payments for both businesses and tourists.
During his speech at the forum, PM Modi emphasized Cyprus’s growing presence as India’s economic partner, especially in terms of foreign direct investment. Furthermore, conversations with Cypriot business leaders in Limassol are aimed at strengthening commercial connections.
Moreover, trade data showed that in the fiscal year 2023-2024, bilateral trade between India and Cyprus totaled $136.96 million. Cyprus also holds a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) with India and is a major source of foreign investment in India.
The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Defence Cooperation in December 2022 marked the beginning of a steady advancement in defence collaboration. Additionally, both nations signed a 2025 Bilateral Defense Cooperation Program (BDCP) in Nicosia. Coordination is currently managed by the Indian Defence Attache to Cyprus who is stationed at the Indian Embassy in Cairo.
The majority of the more than 11,000 Indian citizens living in Cyprus, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), are employed in industries like shipping, information technology, financial technology, agriculture, household services and higher education. A structured cooperation to establish a bilateral startup bridge is being explored by Startup India and Invest Cyprus in acknowledgment of this expanding people-to-people connection.
Additionally, PM Modi’s outreach to Cyprus conveys to Europe that India is looking for a tangible alliance that can provide New Delhi more diplomatic clout in the future, especially as it develops itself as a prominent voice of the Global South on the international scene.
The visit to Cyprus, thus, is important for an array of geopolitical, diplomatic, economic and strategic reasons which demonstrate its increasing significance in India’s larger regional and global perspective.
News