Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides to arrive in India today for four-day visit
New Delhi, May 20
Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides will be on a State visit to India starting Wednesday at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Christodoulides will be in India till May 23.
During the visit, PM Modi and President Christodoulides will hold discussions on further strengthening bilateral cooperation in various areas of mutual interest, including trade, investment, technology, education, culture, mobility, defence and security, Artificial Intelligence (AI), FinTech, innovation and research, according to the statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
Both leaders will also discuss issues of regional and global importance, including cooperation in multilateral fora. PM Modi will host a luncheon in honour of the visiting dignitary.
For his visit to India, Christodoulides will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including the Cyprus Minister of Foreign Affairs Constantinos Kombos, the Minister of Transport, Communications and Works Alexis Vafeades, senior officials and business leaders. This will be President Christodoulides' first visit to India after assuming office.
"The visit of President Christodoulides is taking place within a year of the historic visit of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to Cyprus on 15-16 June 2025, which was the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Cyprus in over two decades. This visit assumes added significance in view of Cyprus' ongoing Presidency of the Council of the European Union," the MEA said in a statement.
President Christodoulides will meet President Droupadi Murmu, who will also host an official banquet in honour of the visiting dignitary.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will also call on President Christodoulides.
During his visit to India, President Christodoulides will participate in a Business Forum in Mumbai.
"India and Cyprus share a close and time-tested partnership. The visit will build upon the ongoing momentum in bilateral relations, reflecting the shared commitment of both sides to further deepen cooperation, including in the wider India-EU context. The two countries will mark 65 years of diplomatic relations on 10 February 2027," the MEA said in a statement.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Hope this visit results in concrete outcomes, especially in trade and technology sectors. Cyprus could be a gateway for India into European markets. Looking forward to more partnerships in FinTech and AI.
Interesting geopolitical move. Cyprus is positioning itself as a bridge between Europe and Asia. India should leverage this for broader EU access. The business forum in Mumbai is a promising step.
While diplomatic visits are important, I hope the discussions focus on practical areas like mobility of professionals and knowledge exchange. India's talent pool can benefit Cyprus and vice versa. 😊
Happy to see strengthened ties with Cyprus. Both countries have shared values of democracy and pluralism. The mention of defence and security cooperation is reassuring given the current global scenario.
Cyprus as EU president makes this visit crucial. India should push for more favourable trade terms and student exchanges. The cultural and educational cooperation promise is good but needs concrete action.
Good to see India engaging with smaller but strategically important nations. This visit builds on the momentum from PM's 2025 trip. Hope the discussions on AI and FinTech lead to joint ventures.
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