India, Cyprus discuss strengthening bilateral maritime cooperation
Nicosia, July 21
India's High Commissioner to Cyprus Manish met Marina Hadjimanoli, Shipping Deputy Minister of Cyprus, on Tuesday and held discussions focused on strengthening bilateral maritime cooperation.
"High Commissioner Mr Manish met Ms Marina Hadjimanoli, Shipping Deputy Minister of Cyprus. The discussions focused on: strengthening bilateral maritime cooperation, building on the existing Bilateral Agreement on Merchant Shipping, expanding engagement in shipping and the wider maritime sector, carrying forward the positive momentum in India-Cyprus relations," the High Commission of India in Cyprus wrote on X.
Both sides reaffirmed their shared commitment to deepening cooperation in this important sector.
In May, Cyprus President Nikos Chrisodoulides paid a state visit to India during which both countries elevated ties to strategic partnership with deeper cooperation in defence and transport connectivity.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Nikos Chrisodoulides resulted in include elevation of ties to a strategic partnership, besides signing of several agreements -- including on a Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism, diplomatic training between Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service (SSIFS) and the Diplomatic Academy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cyprus and also in the field of higher education and research.
According to PM Modi, Cyprus is one of India's top 10 investors, and in the last decade, investments from Cyprus in India have nearly doubled. He said trust between the two countries has grown and that the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA) has opened up new opportunities.
"Leveraging this, we aim to double this investment once again over the next five years, and to realise this commitment, today we are elevating our trusted partnership to the level of a strategic partnership," PM Modi noted.
"The visit of President Nikos Christodoulides to India will greatly benefit the people of India and Cyprus. At the same time, it will contribute to a prosperous and sustainable planet as well!" PM Modi stated.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Interesting development. Cyprus is indeed a top investor in India, but I hope the strategic partnership goes beyond just investment numbers. Would like to see more concrete outcomes in defence cooperation and technology sharing.
As someone involved in maritime logistics, this is positive news. The Indian shipping sector needs more international collaboration. Cyprus has expertise in ship management and registry. Hope our ports also benefit from this partnership.
Good to see diplomatic engagements bearing fruit. The counter-terrorism joint working group is particularly important given the challenges in the region. But we must ensure these partnerships don't remain just talks on paper.
Cyprus is a small but strategic partner in the Mediterranean. India's outreach to such nations is smart geopolitics. The doubling of investments target shows confidence. Though I wonder how the India-EU FTA will actually play out for our small businesses.
PM Modi's vision of doubling investments is ambitious. Cyprus has been a reliable partner, but we need to ensure Indian companies also benefit equally from this strategic partnership. Not just Cypriot investments flowing in. Balance is key.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.