Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides accorded ceremonial welcome, Guard of Honour in New Delhi
New Delhi, May 21
Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides was given a warm ceremonial welcome and Guard of Honour upon his arrival in New Delhi on Thursday, following the Mumbai leg of his visit.
Sharing details of the high-level arrival in a post on X, Randhir Jaiswal, the official spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), stated, "A warm welcome to President @Christodoulides of the Republic of Cyprus as he arrives in New Delhi following the Mumbai leg of his visit. He was accorded a ceremonial welcome and Guard of Honour and was warmly received by Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways, Shri Ajay Tamta @AjayTamtaBJP. The visit builds on the momentum generated by Prime Minister @narendramodi's historic visit to Cyprus in June 2025 and reflects the shared commitment to further strengthening the India-Cyprus partnership."
The New Delhi leg follows the initial phase of the four-day State Visit, which began when President Christodoulides arrived in Mumbai on Wednesday. Visiting from May 20 to 23 at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it marks his first visit to the country in his current capacity, according to an official statement by the MEA.
The Cyprus President is accompanied by a high-level delegation, including Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos, Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades, and senior officials and business leaders.
The engagement carries heightened diplomatic weight as the visit comes less than a year after PM Modi's landmark trip to Cyprus in June 2025, the first by an Indian Prime Minister to the Mediterranean nation in over two decades.
Adding further strategic significance to the engagement, Cyprus currently holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
The official itinerary commenced in Maharashtra, where President Christodoulides initially touched down and was accorded a ceremonial welcome by Governor Jishnu Dev Varma and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at the Mumbai airport on Wednesday. In an earlier post on X detailing that leg of the trip, the MEA had highlighted that India and Cyprus share time-tested, close relations rooted in shared values and strong people-to-people ties.
While in Mumbai, the Cyprus President participated in a business forum specifically aimed at boosting commercial and investment ties between the two nations, with a strong focus on expanding broader economic engagement.
Moving forward with the high-level itinerary in the national capital, PM Modi and President Christodoulides are expected to hold extensive discussions on expanding bilateral cooperation. The talks will focus on trade, investment, technology, education, culture, mobility, defence, and security, as well as emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence, fintech, innovation, and research. The two leaders are also slated to exchange views on regional and global developments, including coordination in multilateral forums.
As part of the official state ceremonies, PM Modi will host a luncheon in honour of the visiting dignitary, and President Droupadi Murmu will receive President Christodoulides and host an official banquet at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is also expected to call on the Cypriot President during his stay.
With both nations looking to mark 65 years of diplomatic relations in 2027, officials have described this state visit as a crucial step in building on the growing momentum of the bilateral partnership and strengthening cooperation within the broader India-European Union framework.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Impressive to see India rolling out the red carpet for Cyprus. But I hope these high-level visits also translate into real economic benefits for ordinary Indians. The business forum in Mumbai is a good start—let's see more trade deals and job creation coming out of this.
Very happy to see this! Cyprus has always been a friend of India, especially on issues like cross-border terrorism. With Cyprus holding the EU presidency, this visit could help India push for a stronger EU partnership. PM Modi's foreign policy is truly 360-degree. 👏
A ceremonial welcome with Guard of Honour is standard protocol—nothing extraordinary. The real test will be the substance of the discussions. I hope the focus on defence and security goes beyond just talk and leads to tangible cooperation, especially in the Mediterranean region.
It's nice to see India strengthening ties with smaller but strategically located nations like Cyprus. The timing with Cyprus holding the EU presidency is clever—India can leverage this for better EU trade agreements. Just hope the bureaucracy doesn't slow things down as usual! 😅
As someone who has studied international relations, I can say this is a significant visit. Cyprus is not just a EU member but also a gateway to the Eastern Mediterranean. The focus on culture, education, and mobility in the talks is promising—more student exchanges and cultural ties would be wonderful.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.