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India-Cyprus Strategic Alignment
Context
PM Modi’s visit to Cyprus in June 2025, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in over two decades, comes amid Turkey’s growing support to Pakistan and rising regional tensions. The visit is a strategic outreach to counterbalance adversarial alignments, reinforce India’s presence in the Mediterranean, and leverage Cyprus's EU influence.
India-Cyprus Strategic Alignment: Recalibrating Mediterranean Diplomacy
Cyprus: A Trusted Diplomatic Partner
- Strategic Support in Multilateral Institutions: Cyprus has supported India’s ambitions for permanent UNSC membership, NSG entry, and played a role in India’s successful civil nuclear diplomacy at the IAEA.
- India-EU Bridge via Cyprus: Cyprus is set to hold the Presidency of the EU Council in 2026, positioning it as a key gateway for India to leverage EU institutions and trade architecture.
Turkey-Cyprus Conflict and India’s Balancing Act
- Geopolitical Conflict: Cyprus vs. Turkey: The 1974 Turkish invasion split the island; only Turkey recognizes the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Cyprus remains under UN Peacekeeping Forces.
- Turkey’s Adversarial Stance Toward India: Turkey has supported Pakistan’s Kashmir position, raised the issue at the UN, and supplied drones to Pakistan, used in Operation Sindoor against India.
- India’s Strategic Response: By visiting Cyprus, India signals a counter-narrative to Turkey and reaffirms its alignment with like-minded democratic partners.
Cyprus’s Strategic Relevance for India’s Geoeconomic Goals
- India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC): Cyprus is geographically crucial to the IMEC connectivity plan, linking India to Europe via the Middle East. It could host trans-shipment hubs and logistics parks.
- Economic, Maritime, and Energy Cooperation: India seeks to boost private-sector engagement in clean tech, shipping, fintech, and education, using Cyprus as a stepping stone to Mediterranean markets.
Comprehensive Analysis & Way Forward
India’s outreach to Cyprus signifies multi-vector diplomacy—balancing adversarial pressures (Turkey-Pakistan axis) while building enduring partnerships. Cyprus’s EU role, geostrategic location, and economic openness make it a valuable partner in India’s Act East Europe framework.
India’s long-term interests lie in:
- Institutionalizing strategic dialogue with Cyprus
- Expanding the IMEC footprint via Cypriot ports
- Strengthening India-EU economic convergence through a pro-India ally
- Using such diplomatic visits as signals to adversarial actors
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