India and Cyprus Elevate Ties to Strategic Partnership

India and Cyprus elevated their bilateral relations to a Strategic Partnership on May 22, 2026, during a four-day state visit by Nikos Christodoulides to India. The visit, initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, focused on positioning Cyprus as a strategic gateway for Indian business into the European Union, particularly as Cyprus holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

The visit began in Mumbai, where President Christodoulides attended a business forum, visited the National Stock Exchange, and announced the opening of a Cyprus Trade Center in the city by September 1, 2026. He also paid tribute to the victims of the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks. In New Delhi, the leaders established a joint task force for infrastructure and shipping, a Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism, and a Defence Cooperation roadmap for 2026-2031. Cyprus also joined the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative and pledged to procure Indian military hardware, including drones, using a 1.2 billion euro budget.

Economic integration was a primary theme, with both nations aiming to double Cypriot investment in India over five years. They agreed to implement India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in Cyprus via Eurobank and discussed the transformational potential of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). Diplomatically, President Christodoulides backed India's bid for a permanent seat on a reformed UN Security Council, while India reaffirmed its support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Cyprus.