Modi Thanks Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides for Welcoming Him at Airport

New Delhi/Nicosia/Ottawa: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Cyprus on Sunday evening for a two-day visit during which he will hold talks with President Nikos Christodoulides. In a special gesture, President Christodoulides welcomed Mr Modi on his arrival at the airport. Mr Modi is the first Indian PM to visit Cyprus in over two decades.

“Landed in Cyprus. My gratitude to the President of Cyprus, Mr Nikos Christodoulides, for the special gesture of welcoming me at the airport. This visit will add significant momentum to India-Cyprus relations, especially in areas like trade, investment and more,” Mr Modi posted on X. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on X: “Extensive discussions to further deepen bilateral ties lie ahead.”

In Nicosia, the PM will hold talks with President Christodoulides and address business leaders at Limassol.

Flight tracking websites reported that the Prime Minister's special aircraft, due to the volatile situation in the Middle East, avoided Iranian airspace and those of several other countries while travelling from New Delhi to Nicosia. The special aircraft flew over the Arabian Sea towards Ethiopia and Djibouti, after which it flew over Egypt and then landed in Cyprus. It may be noted that after India's Operation Sindoor last month, Pakistan had barred Indian aircraft from overflying Pakistani airspace.

In a departure statement in New Delhi on Sunday before leaving on his three-nation visit to Cyprus, then to Canada for the G-7 summit, and a stopover in Croatia on the way back, Mr Modi said: “This three-nation tour is also an opportunity to thank partner countries for their steadfast support to India in our fight against cross-border terrorism, and to galvanise global understanding on tackling terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.” Mr Modi will hold a meeting with business leaders in Cyprus on Sunday evening and will be hosted to dinner by the Cyprus President. The two leaders will hold talks on Monday.

In his departure statement, Mr Modi said: “On June 15-16, I will visit the Republic of Cyprus at the invitation of President Nikos Christodoulides. Cyprus is a close friend and an important partner in the Mediterranean region and the EU. The visit provides an opportunity to build upon the historical bonds and expand our ties in the areas of trade, investment, security, technology and promote people-to-people exchanges.”

He added: “From Cyprus, I will travel to Kananaskis, Canada, to attend the G-7 summit at the invitation of Prime Minister Mark Carney. The summit will provide space for exchange of views on pressing global issues and the priorities of the Global South. I also look forward to engaging with leaders from partner countries.”

Mr Modi said: “On June 18, I look forward to my visit to the Republic of Croatia and meetings with President Zoran Milanovic and Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic. Both our countries enjoy centuries-old close cultural links. As the first visit by an Indian PM to Croatia, it will open new avenues for bilateral cooperation in areas of mutual interest.”

Observers point out that the Prime Minister’s visit to Cyprus is significant, given the traditional strained ties between Cyprus and Turkey, which is a close friend and ally of Pakistan, as was seen again when India launched Operation Sindoor last month. It may be recalled that after tension between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots way back in 1974, Turkey helped Cypriot Turks set up their government in one-third of the island, which is recognised by very few countries. Cyprus meanwhile, has traditionally been a close friend of India and is also wary of Turkey. New Delhi has consistently lent its support for the territorial integrity of Cyprus.

Meanwhile, AP reported from Banff, Canada, that the leaders of some of the world’s biggest economic powers will arrive in the Canadian Rockies on Sunday for a Group of Seven summit overshadowed by a widening war across the Middle East and US President Donald Trump’s unresolved trade war with allies and rivals alike.

Speaking on a flight to Canada to attend the summit, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he had discussed efforts to de-escalate the situation with Mr Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as other world leaders.

As summit host, Canadian PM Mark Carney has decided to abandon the annual practice of issuing a joint statement, or communique, at the end of the meeting. With other leaders wanting to talk to Mr Trump in an effort to talk him out of imposing tariffs, the summit risks being a series of bilateral conversations rather than a show of unity.

Mr Trump is the summit’s wild card. Looming over the meeting are his inflammatory threats to make Canada the 51st US state and take over Greenland. French President Emmanuel Macron is making a highly symbolic stop in Greenland on his way to Canada, meeting the Arctic territory’s leader and Denmark’s PM aboard a Danish helicopter carrier.

Mr Macron, who is one of the very few leaders to have known Mr Trump during his first term, was the first European leader to visit the White House after Mr Trump took office, emerging unscathed from the Oval Office encounter.

Mr Trump is scheduled to arrive late Sunday in Kananaskis, Alberta. Bilateral meetings between other leaders are possible Sunday, but the summit programme does not get underway until Monday.

Peter Boehm, Canada’s sherpa of the 2018 G-7 summit in Quebec and veteran of six G-7 summits, expects the heads of state to pivot discussion to devote more time to the war. “Leaders can accommodate a discussion, perhaps even a statement,” Mr Boehm said. “The foreign policy agenda has become much larger with this.”

Leaders who are not part of the G-7 but have been invited to the summit by Mr Carney include the heads of state/government of besides India, Ukraine, Brazil, South Africa, South Korea, Australia, Mexico and the UAE.