Prime Minister (PM) of India Narendra Modi undertook a four-day official visit from 15–19 June 2025 to the Republic of Cyprus, Canada, and Croatia, highlighting India’s deepening global partnerships.
- During his visit, PM Modi received Cyprus’s highest civilian honour and attended the 51st G-7(Group of seven) Summit in Canada.
Highlights of PM Narendra Modi’s Visit to Cyprus:
PM Narendra Modi was on a two-day official visit to Cyprus from 15–16 June 2025, at the invitation of President of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides.This marked the first visit by an Indian PM to Cyprus in more than two decades, since Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s visit in 2002.
- During his visit to Cyprus, he held talks with President Christodoulides in Nicosia, Cyprus to enhance bilateral cooperation, met business leaders in Limassol, Cyprus to explore trade opportunities, and witnessed the signing of key Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs).
PM Modi Conferred with Cyprus’s Highest Civilian Honour:
During his visit to Cyprus, PM Narendra Modi was honoured with the”Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III,” the highest civilian award of Cyprus, by President Nikos Christodoulides.
- With this recognition, he has become the most internationally awarded Indian PM while in office, having received a total of 28 international honours from various foreign governments during his tenure.
- He visited the Historic Centre of Nicosia, a city uniquely divided between the Republic of Cyprus and the Turkish-controlled northern region.
Key Points:
i.PM Narendra Modi and the President of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides held a business roundtable, highlighting key areas like aviation, shipping, and digital payments, and agreed to boost financial services and cross-border trade.
ii.India-Cyprus welcomed the launch of the India–Greece–Cyprus (IGC) Business and Investment Council to promote trilateral cooperation in areas like shipping, logistics, renewable energy (RE), aviation, and digital services.
iii.Cyprus has pledged its support for the advancement of the India–European Union (EU) Free Trade Agreement (FTA) during its upcoming presidency of the EU Council in 2026.
- Cyprus is preparing to assume the Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU) in 2026.
iii India and Cyprus agreed to prepare a joint Action Plan for 2025–2029 to guide their partnership over the next five years. The plan will be led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cyprus and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), India.
Key Agreements:
i.India-Cyprus issued a Joint Declaration to strengthen the Comprehensive Partnership between the two countries.
- The leaders of both countries highlighted the importance of people-to-people ties and agreed to finalize a Mobility Pilot Program by the end of 2025.
- They also discussed enhancing tourism, establishing direct air connectivity, and preparing a five-year Action Plan (2025–2029) to guide future cooperation.
ii.An MoU was signed between NSE (National Stock Exchange) International Exchange at GIFT City, Gujarat and the Cyprus Stock Exchange(CSE), Cyprus to boost collaboration in the financial services sector.
iii.An MoU was signed between NIPL (NPCI International Payments Limited), a wholly owned subsidiary of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) , India and Eurobank Cyprus to introduce Unified Payment Interface (UPI) for cross-border payments, which will benefit both tourists and businesses.
- Cyprus ranks among India’s top 10 sources of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), with cumulative inflows amounting to USD 15 billion.
PM Modi Presents Symbolic Indian Gifts:
i.During his official visit to Cyprus, PM Narendra Modi also presented a Kashmiri silk carpet to President of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides.
ii.He also gifted a silver clutch purse from Andhra Pradesh (AP) to First Lady of Cyprus, Philippa Karsera, blending traditional craftsmanship with a modern design.
Highlights of PM Narendra Modi’s Visit to Canada:
Following the conclusion of his visit to Cyprus, PM Narendra Modi arrived in Canada for the second leg of his three-nation tour. He undertook a two-day official visit from 16 to 17 June 2025, at the invitation of Canadian PM Mark Joseph Carney.
- This visit marked PM Modi’s return to Canada after more than a decade, signalling a renewed phase of bilateral cooperation and diplomatic engagement.
- During his visit to Canada, PM Narendra Modi participated in the Outreach session of the 51st G-7 Summit hosted at Kananaskis(Canada), marking his sixth consecutive appearance at the summit.
Outcomes of the visit:
i.On the sidelines of the summit, he held bilateral meetings with PM Mark Carney and other leaders to discuss key global issues like energy security, advanced technology, artificial intelligence (AI), and quantum innovations.
ii.Both leaders agreed to reappoint high commissioners in each country, aiming to restore full-fledged diplomatic communication and engagement between India and Canada.
iii.Both leaders held discussions focused on enhancing collaboration in key sectors such as technology, food security, digital transformation, and the supply of critical minerals.
Highlights of PM Narendra Modi’s Visit to Croatia:
After completing his visit to Canada, PM Narendra Modi traveled to Croatia for the next leg of his three-nation tour. He undertook a one-day official visit to the Republic of Croatia on 18 June 2025, at the invitation of Croatian PM Andrej Plenković, marking the first-ever visit by an Indian PM to the country.
- During the visit, PM Narendra Modi held bilateral talks with PM Plenković , also met Croatian President Zoran Milanović and signed key MoUs to strengthen bilateral relations.
- The leaders of both countries agreed to strengthen trade and supply chains, and decided to deepen cooperation in areas like pharmaceuticals, agriculture, Information Technology (IT), clean and digital technologies, semiconductors, shipbuilding, and cybersecurity.
Key MoUs:
India and Croatia signed four agreements during the visit of PM Narendra Modi to Croatia.
i.An agreement was signed to boost cooperation in agriculture and allied sectors.
- It aims to promote joint research, exchange of expertise, and development of sustainable agricultural practices between the two nations.
ii.Another agreement was signed for a Cultural Exchange Programme between 2026 and 2030.
- This initiative will facilitate the exchange of artists, scholars, and cultural practitioners, promoting mutual understanding and appreciation of each other’s cultural heritage.
iii.An MoU was signed between the Ministry of Science and Education, Croatia and the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoS&T), India to enhance collaboration in science and technology from 2025 to 2029.
iv.Both countries also agreed to set up a Hindi language chair at the University of Zagreb, Croatia.
PM Modi Receives Sanskrit Grammar Reprint and Book on India-Croatia Relations
PM Modi was presented with two special gifts by his Croatian counterpart Andrej Plenković.
- One was a reprint of Vezdin’s Sanskrit Grammar, the first printed Sanskrit grammar in Latin, originally written in 1790 by Croatian scholar Filip Vezdin during his time in India.
- The second gift was a book titled ‘Croatia & India: Bilateral Navigator for Diplomats and Business,’ written by Croatian diplomat Sinisa Grgic, highlighting the growing partnership between the two nations.
PM Modi Presents Traditional Indian Gifts to Croatian Leaders:
i.During his visit to Croatia, PM Modi gifted a handmade Pattachitra painting to President Zoran Milanović.
- This artwork, from Odisha, is made on cloth and is known for its bright colours and detailed designs.
ii.He also gave a silver candle stand from Rajasthan to PM of Croatia Andrej Plenković, made using traditional engraving methods.
About Cyprus:
President– Nikos Christodoulides
Capital– Nicosia
Currency– Euro (EUR)
About Canada:
Prime Minister (PM)– Mark Joseph Carney
Capital– Ottawa
Currency– Canadian Dollar (CAD)
