In a first visit by an Indian Prime Minister in 23 years, following an invitation from Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides, Narendra Modi embarked to the island nation on Sunday, 15 June. Till now, only two Prime Ministers—Rajiv Gandhi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee—had visited Cyprus.
The visit is significant for its timing, context, and subtext, and a logical outcome of a process that has been in the making for awhile. The visit is the first official bilateral visit by the prime minister after Operation Sindoor, where Turkey—Cyprus' archrival—openly supported Pakistan, both diplomatically and militarily.
India and Cyprus have always had cordial relations, anchored in their anti-colonial struggles, and then in the Non-Aligned Movement. Political engagement between the two sides as well as trade has flourished. The Indian military has participated in the UN peacekeeping operations in Cyprus on numerous occasions, and Cyprus has supported India's inclusion in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Between April 2000 and September 2015, Cyprus invested a cumulative total of $8.328 billion, making it the eighth largest FDI investor in India. Most of the investments are in the construction and real estate industries.
In his departure statement, Prime Minister Modi underlined that "Cyprus is a close friend and an important partner in the Mediterranean region and the EU [European Union]."
"The visit provides an opportunity to build upon the historical bonds and expand our ties in the areas of trade, investment, security, technology and promote people-to-people exchanges."Narendra Modi