Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides to visit India from May 20-23
New Delhi, May 20
At the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the President of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, will undertake a four-day state visit from May 20 to 23, accompanied by a high-level delegation that includes the Cyprus Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos, Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades, senior officials and business leaders, according to the official press release by the Ministry of External Affairs.
According to the official press release issued on Wednesday, this will be President Christodoulides' first visit to India in his current capacity.
The visit comes less than a year after Prime Minister Modi's landmark trip to Cyprus in June 2025, the first visit by an Indian prime minister to the Mediterranean nation in more than two decades. The press release said the current visit gains additional importance as Cyprus currently holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
During the visit, PM Modi and President Christodoulides are expected to hold extensive talks aimed at expanding bilateral cooperation across a range of sectors, including trade, investment, technology, education, culture, mobility, defence and security, artificial intelligence, FinTech, innovation and research.
The two leaders will also exchange views on regional and global developments, including cooperation in multilateral forums.
Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to host a luncheon in honour of the visiting Cypriot president, as per the press release.
President Christodoulides will also meet President Droupadi Murmu, who will host an official banquet in his honour. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is also expected to call on the visiting leader during the trip.
As part of the visit, the Cypriot president will travel to Mumbai to participate in a business forum aimed at strengthening commercial and investment ties between the two countries.
India and Cyprus maintain longstanding diplomatic relations and are set to mark 65 years of diplomatic ties on February 10, 2027. According to the press release, the visit is expected to build on the growing momentum in bilateral relations and deepen cooperation within the broader India-EU framework.
Earlier in June, 2025, PM Modi had a historic visit to Cyprus.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official visit to Cyprus concluded with the adoption of a Joint Declaration outlining a roadmap for deepened strategic cooperation between the two nations, according to a press release issued by the Prime Minister's Office.
The visit was seen as a celebration of a shared past and a "forward-looking partnership" rooted in strategic vision and mutual trust.The declaration noted that both leaders held wide-ranging discussions on bilateral, regional, and global issues, acknowledging growing cooperation in economic, technological, and people-to-people domains.
The joint declaration reaffirmed both sides' shared values--democracy, multilateralism, rule of law, and sustainable development--and their support for a rules-based international order grounded in the UN Charter and international law.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Cyprus holding the EU presidency makes this visit very strategic. I hope our defence and security cooperation gets a boost - we need more European partners to balance China's influence in the region. The business forum in Mumbai is a great idea too.
Nice photo-op, but I hope this translates into actual trade numbers and not just MoUs. India always has grand visits but follow-through is weak. Let's see some tangible results in tech transfer and investment.
As someone working in IT, I'm excited about the AI and FinTech cooperation. Cyprus has a strong shipping and financial services sector - could be great for Indian startups looking to expand into Europe. Makes sense to have the business forum in Mumbai.
I wonder if they'll discuss the Cyprus issue and Turkey's role. India has always supported UN resolutions on Cyprus. But with our improving ties with Turkey, it might be a delicate balancing act. Diplomacy is tricky but our PM handles it well.
Lovely to see the cultural and education exchange aspect highlighted. We need more student exchanges and Indian diaspora engagement in Cyprus. The 65th anniversary of diplomatic ties next year should be celebrated properly!
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.