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Cyprus and India are looking to strengthen their growing relationship after the two countries’ foreign ministers met in Brussels on Monday for talks covering cooperation, global developments and regional security issues.
Cyprus Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos held his first official meeting with India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar since taking office, on the sidelines of diplomatic meetings taking place in the Belgian capital.
The discussions focused on expanding cooperation between Cyprus and India, with both sides exploring ways to boost ties in trade, connectivity and people-to-people exchanges. The ministers also reviewed ongoing collaboration and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the partnership between the two countries.
In a post on X following the meeting, Jaishankar said he was pleased to meet his Cypriot counterpart and noted that they discussed ways to further develop the countries’ strategic partnership, while also exchanging views on developments in West Asia.
He also thanked Cyprus for supporting closer engagement between India and the European Union, particularly as Cyprus prepares to hold the Presidency of the Council of the EU.
Kombos described the meeting as an “insightful exchange,” saying discussions included next steps in Cyprus-India cooperation ahead of an upcoming visit by President Nikos Christodoulides to India.
The Cypriot minister also highlighted broader EU-India relations, pointing to momentum following the recent EU-India summit and progress toward a free trade agreement between the two sides.
Regional security was also high on the agenda. Both ministers exchanged views on the ongoing tensions in the Middle East, stressing that diplomacy and dialogue remain the only sustainable path toward de-escalation and stability.
Jaishankar is visiting Brussels at the invitation of EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, where he is meeting foreign ministers from all 27 EU member states during the Foreign Affairs Council gathering.
The visit comes shortly after the latest EU-India summit and is expected to further deepen cooperation between India and the European Union, with Cyprus positioning itself as a bridge for closer engagement between the two sides.
