Prime Minister Narendra Modi was awarded the ‘Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III’, the highest civilian honour of Cyprus, during a ceremonial event at the Presidential Palace in Nicosia. This marks a significant moment in diplomatic history as it is the first time an Indian Prime Minister has visited the Mediterranean nation.
Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides personally conferred the honour upon Modi, recognising his contributions to strengthening ties between India and Cyprus. “Humbled to receive the ‘Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III’ of Cyprus. I dedicate it to the friendship between our nations,” the Indian Prime Minister wrote on social media platform X.
PM Modi was accorded a ceremonial welcome by President Christodoulides upon his arrival at the Presidential Palace, after being received with warmth and enthusiasm at Larnaca International Airport on Sunday. Members of the Indian diaspora also greeted him in Limassol, reflecting the vibrant bilateral people-to-people connections.
During the visit, the two leaders introduced their respective delegations and held bilateral discussions aimed at enhancing cooperation in areas such as trade, energy, innovation, and technology.
As part of the official programme, PM Modi and President Christodoulides also engaged with top CEOs from both nations to explore deeper commercial partnerships. “Boosting business linkages! President Nikos Christodoulides and I interacted with leading CEOs to add vigour to commercial linkages between India and Cyprus… I also talked about India’s reform trajectory in the last decade,” Modi posted on X.
The Cyprus Presidency highlighted the significance of the visit, calling it the beginning of a “new era of strategic partnership” between the two countries.
Ahead of his departure, PM Modi underlined the importance of Cyprus as a close friend and strategic partner for India in the Mediterranean and EU region. He described the visit as an opportunity to deepen historical bonds and broaden cooperation across sectors including trade, security, and technology.
PM Modi’s Cyprus visit is the first leg of his three-nation tour, which will also include stops in Canada and Croatia.
