When PM Modi Came to Cyprus: A Look Back at the Historic Visit and What Followed

For many of us in the Indian community here, 15 and 16 June 2025 are dates to remember. That was when Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to Cyprus, the first time an Indian Prime Minister had visited the island in 23 years. Cyprus was the opening stop of a tour that also took him to the G7 summit in Canada and to Croatia.

Just over a year on, here's a look back at the visit, and at what has followed since.

A warm welcome in Limassol

President Nikos Christodoulides personally received the Prime Minister at Larnaca airport. In Limassol, members of the Indian community gathered outside his hotel with flowers, flags and chants of "Bharat Mata ki Jai", and the Prime Minister stopped to greet them and later thanked the diaspora for the welcome.

Highlights of the two days

• Business first: the visit opened with a Cyprus–India business roundtable in Limassol, focused on growing trade and investment between the two countries.
• Cyprus's highest honour: President Christodoulides awarded PM Modi the Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III.
• A walk through old Nicosia: the two leaders toured the historic walled centre of the capital together, a gesture widely seen as a strong sign of friendship and support for Cyprus.

What came out of it

• A Chair of Indian Studies in Nicosia: India's cultural council (ICCR) and the University of Nicosia agreed to set up the first ICCR Chair at a Cypriot university, bringing Indian studies into higher education on the island.
• Stock market links: the NSE International Exchange at GIFT City and the Cyprus Stock Exchange agreed to work together, including on dual listings of companies.
• A roadmap: both sides agreed to draw up a five-year plan to guide the relationship.

The return visit: a Strategic Partnership

President Christodoulides made a state visit to India from 20 to 23 May 2026, his first as President, with ministers and a business delegation of around 60. The two leaders raised the relationship to a Strategic Partnership and signed agreements covering areas such as counter-terrorism cooperation, innovation and technology, higher education and research, and a cultural exchange programme for 2026–2030.

Why it matters to us

Closer ties between India and Cyprus open doors for the community here, from students and professionals to businesses that trade between the two countries. It also shows that the relationship, and the people who carry it every day, are being noticed at the highest level.

Read next: From Mumbai to New Delhi: What the Cyprus President's India Visit Means for Us

Sources: IndiaTV, TheTribune, TheWeek, HighCommissionofIndiaNicosia, SMEFutures, PMIndia