Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in Cyprus on Sunday (June 15) for the first leg of his three-nation tour, which will also see him visit Canada for the G7 summit and then Croatia.
During his visit, PM Modi will hold talks with President Nikos Christodoulides in capital Nicosia, and address business leaders at Limassol.
Why is Cyprus important to India, and what is the Turkey angle in this? We explain.
Turkey-Cyprus rivalry
Cyprus is an island in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, located close to Turkey and Syria. It is a member of the European Union (EU) despite being geographically in Asia.
The island nation got independence from the British in 1960. Its two major communities, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, participated in an uneasy power sharing, which flared up into violence just three years later and the United Nations Peacekeeping Force had to be called in.
In 1974, the Greek Cypriots staged a coup with the help of the Greek Junta, to merge the island with Greece. Turkey then invaded, and while the legitimate government in Nicosia was restored, Turkish forces have never fully left the island. In fact, the north-eastern part of the island has declared itself independent as the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which only Turkey recognises.
India’s ties with the two countries
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A Ministry of External Affairs release on India-Cyprus ties says the country “remains one of Indiaʼs dependable friends.” “It supports Indiaʼs candidature as a permanent member of the expanded UN Security Council. It has also extended its full support for the India-US Civil Nuclear Agreement, within the Nuclear Supplier Group (NSG) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which helps India address its increasing energy needs and benefit its economic development,” the MEA document says.
Turkey, on the other hand, has not just supported Pakistan in terms of international resolutions and statements on Kashmir, during the recent conflict after Operation Sindoor, many of the drones Pakistan attacked India with were found to have been of Turkish origin. This has crossed a line for India.
PM Modi, before leaving for his trip, said in a press release, “This three-nation tour is also an opportunity to thank partner countries for their steadfast support to India in our fight against cross-border terrorism, and to galvanise global understanding on tackling terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.”
IMEC, EU factors
The Turkey angle aside, Cyprus is valuable to India in many other ways. As stated, it has proved to be a “dependable friend”.
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Secondly, its geographic location makes it a crucial part of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), an infrastructure project that India expects multiple benefits from. IMEC is supposed to boost trade and connectivity between India and Europe via the Middle East, and Cyprus, in the Mediterranean, has an important role to play.
Also, Cyprus is set to hold the Presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of 2026, and as India looks to build stronger trade and security ties with Europe, Nicosia could be a crucial ally.