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The friendship between India and Cyprus is both strong and future-oriented: PM Modi at the India-Cyprus Joint Press Meet

Published By : Admin | May 22, 2026 | 13:00 IST

Your Excellency, President of Cyprus
Delegates from both countries,
Friends from the media,

Namaskar!
Kalimera

It is a great pleasure to welcome the President of Cyprus and his delegation to India. Mr. President, last year you gave us a very warm welcome in Cyprus. As a special gesture of friendship towards India, you also honoured me with Cyprus’s highest honour.

During your entire visit, we truly felt your warmth, friendship, and strong connection with India. Today, your visit to India marks another important milestone in our shared journey.

Friends,

The friendship between India and Cyprus is both strong and futuristic. A shared belief in values ​​such as democracy and the rule of law forms the foundation of our partnership. We respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations. India is fully committed to these principles and will continue to remain so.

Today, as India and Europe step into a new golden era of relations, Cyprus is not only serving as the President of the Council of the European Union but is also emerging as an important investment gateway connecting India with all of Europe.

Friends,

Cyprus is among India’s top 10 investors, and over the past decade, investments from Cyprus into India have nearly doubled. The trust between our two countries has grown even stronger. The India–European Union Free Trade Agreement has also created many new opportunities. Building on this momentum, we aim to double these investments again over the next five years. To achieve this shared vision, today we are elevating our trusted relationship to a Strategic Partnership.

Friends,

This Strategic Partnership between India and Cyprus will create new opportunities for trade and investment by connecting the financial and services hubs of both countries. It will open new doors for Indian companies in Cyprus’s infrastructure, energy, and agriculture sectors, while also encouraging greater investment in India’s fast-growing shipping and maritime industries.

Together with Cyprus, we will accelerate the vision of transforming GIFT City into a global financial and services hub, and enhance connectivity between the innovation and start-up ecosystems of both countries.Friends,

Friends,

Defence and security cooperation is an important pillar of our relationship. We are pleased that military exchanges and training cooperation between our two countries have grown in recent years. Today, we have also decided to further strengthen our partnership in cyber security, maritime security, and counter-terrorism. Moreover, we will also work together to ensure connectivity through key initiatives such as the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative and the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor.

Friends,

Indian professionals and students living in Cyprus are further strengthening the people-to-people ties between our two countries. To deepen these connections further, we have agreed to work on a comprehensive Migration and Mobility Partnership, along with a Social Security Agreement, in the near future.

Today, we are also signing agreements on culture and higher education, which will deepen cultural exchange and research cooperation between the two countries.

Friends,

Today, we also discussed important global issues. Whether it is Ukraine or West Asia, we will continue to support early peace efforts and the swift end of conflicts. We also agree that reforming global institutions is both urgent and essential to address the growing challenges facing the world.

Your Excellency,

The bond between India and Cyprus has remained strong through the test of time. Today, with the establishment of the India–Cyprus Strategic Partnership, we are ready to take our relationship to new heights with renewed energy, ambition, and momentum.

Let us work together to transform our relationship from cooperation to co-creation, and from partnership to shared prosperity.

India and Cyprus—together, will build a secure, prosperous, and better future.

Thank you very much.

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Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi chaired the third high-level meeting with Secretaries to the Government of India at his residence at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg earlier today. He discussed the future action agenda of Ministries and Departments dealing with Infrastructure and Connectivity, Security and External Affairs, and Governance.

Noting that deliberations had already been held with two groups of Secretaries, Prime Minister said that Secretaries, in addition to thinking about immediate issues and statistics, should also think with a long-term perspective on how the country’s future should be shaped.

Discussing the challenge of overcoming silos, Prime Minister stressed that silos are not merely an organisational problem but also a problem of mindset. He said silos can be both horizontal and vertical. He stressed that officials must take ownership of their responsibilities and work with a spirit of belongingness.

Emphasising the importance of collective effort, Prime Minister cited the experience of the COVID-19 pandemic and the West Asia crisis, when officials across departments worked together effectively. He said that such coordination mechanisms should become a natural part of the government’s work culture.

Prime Minister called for effective use of Artificial Intelligence while ensuring human intervention and judgement. He called for exploring innovative ways of combining the capabilities of AI with human expertise.

Prime Minister emphasised that data is a national asset and a resource for the future. He noted that the government invests resources in collecting, storing and managing data, but its full potential is not always realised because of departmental silos and fragmented systems. He pointed to differences in the manner in which data is collected and managed for various purposes, and called for finding solutions that enable greater interoperability and effective use of data.

Prime Minister called for greater engagement between government departments, universities and young people to bring fresh perspectives in policymaking. He said wider engagement with universities and young people can bring new and unconventional ideas.

Prime Minister also called for greater focus on research and innovation, including in the defence sector. He emphasised the need to further strengthen India’s defence industry and make it more competitive at the global level. He stressed the importance of developing innovative defence courses and strengthening human resource development in the defence sector.

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Prime Minister emphasised the need for better connectivity between manufacturing units and export-oriented units, so that India’s manufacturing and export capabilities can fully benefit from its maritime infrastructure.

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Prime Minister underlined the importance of informal interaction and building team spirit among officers. He encouraged senior officers to develop greater personal and informal engagement with junior colleagues and to build stronger networks across cadres and departments.

The Secretaries shared their experiences on sectoral priorities, emerging challenges and implementation issues. The meeting was attended by the Cabinet Secretary, Secretaries of key Ministries and Departments, and senior officials from the Prime Minister’s Office.