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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Cyprus on Sunday for a two-day official visit, marking what Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides called a historic step in the growing relationship between the two countries.
Modi was welcomed at Larnaca’s “Glafcos Clerides” Airport by President Christodoulides and Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos. The leaders held a brief meeting at the airport before heading to Limassol for a business roundtable attended by Cypriot and Indian business leaders.
The visit will feature the signing of a Joint Declaration on Partnership on Monday, which government sources describe as a significant move toward establishing a long-term strategic relationship. The agreement is set to create a framework for systematic cooperation across areas such as energy, defense, digital innovation, green technology, and investment.
During the business event, President Christodoulides announced the launch of the India–Cyprus–Greece Business and Investment Council. Modi called the initiative a promising platform for economic collaboration and said India sees Cyprus as a long-standing and trusted partner.
The leaders noted strong economic ties between the two countries, with Cyprus ranking as the eighth-largest source of foreign investment in India. Modi said that Indian companies increasingly view Cyprus as a gateway to the European Union, and that bilateral trade has reached $150 million, with much greater potential.
Modi also raised the prospect of expanding India's digital payments system, the Unified Payments Interface, to Cyprus, citing discussions already underway. He said India now accounts for half of the world’s digital transactions.
President Christodoulides emphasized the strategic value of closer ties with India, pointing to Cyprus’s role in the Eastern Mediterranean and its position within the EU. He described Modi as a leader of transformation and expressed condolences over a recent air accident in India.
Both leaders reaffirmed their intent to deepen cooperation in fields including security, artificial intelligence, tourism, infrastructure, and cybersecurity. The day concluded with a private dinner hosted by the Cypriot president in honor of the Indian prime minister.
