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PM Modi toured the capital city of Nicosia, which too remains divided, and was photographed against the backdrop of the flag of the Turkish-controlled north
The gesture comes against the backdrop of Turkey’s support to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s repeated remarks on Kashmir, which India has strongly opposed. (Photo: YouTube/NarendraModi)
India strongly backed Cyprus’s “independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity” during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit on Monday — a move widely seen as a clear message to Turkey, which claims part of the island nation.
PM Modi toured the capital city of Nicosia, which too remains divided, and was photographed against the backdrop of the flag of the Turkish-controlled north — a moment analysts interpreted as a subtle but firm geopolitical signal.
The gesture comes against the backdrop of Turkey’s support to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s repeated remarks on Kashmir, which India has strongly opposed.
Cyprus, a neighbour and rival of Turkey in the eastern Mediterranean, has been divided since 1974 when Ankara’s forces invaded the island. The northern part of Cyprus is under Turkish control and is recognised only by Ankara as the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. The rest of the international community — including India — recognises the Republic of Cyprus and supports its sovereignty over the entire island.
PM Modi visited the Green Line, which is a UN-controlled, 180-kilometre-long demilitarised buffer zone that separates the two parts of Cyprus, according to media reports. The Green Line is patrolled by the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) to prevent any possible flare-up, and includes abandoned homes, buildings, and roads.
PM Modi’s trip to European Union (EU) member Cyprus, en route to the G7 summit in Canada, comes against the backdrop of rising anti-Turkey sentiment within India. President Erdogan’s Turkey has deepened military ties with its traditional ally Pakistan — including during the four-day conflict sparked by a terror attack in Kashmir. Erdogan has also repeatedly sought to internationalise the Kashmir issue, raising it at global forums including the United Nations, despite India’s firm stance that Kashmir is a bilateral matter between New Delhi and Islamabad.
In this context, Modi’s symbolic stop at the Green Line is unlikely to sit well with Ankara, which continues to claim that the northern part of the island belongs to the Turkish Cypriot people.
Earlier in the day, a joint statement by India and Cyprus said they “expressed their strong commitment to the resumption of UN-facilitated efforts to achieve a comprehensive and lasting settlement of the Cyprus Question on the basis of a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality, in accordance with the agreed UN framework and the relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions”.
“India reiterated its unwavering and consistent support for the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and unity of the Republic of Cyprus. In this regard, both sides emphasised the need to avoid unilateral actions as essential for creating a conducive environment for the resumption of meaningful negotiations,” it added.
For his part, Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides said his country respects India’s right to respond in order to protect its people. India has maintained at global forums that it was compelled to launch Operation Sindoor against terror camps in Pakistan following the Pahalgam attack on April 22.
Why PM Modi’s Cyprus Visit En Route To G7 Summit In Canada Is Strategically Significant | Explained
What Is the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus?
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) refers to the self-declared state in the northern part of the island of Cyprus. This control stemmed from military intervention by Turkey in 1974 in response to a coup in Cyprus that was backed by the Greek military junta.
In 1983, the Turkish-held region unilaterally declared independence as the TRNC. However, the TRNC is recognised only by Turkey. No other country or international body — including the United Nations and the European Union — recognises it as a sovereign state. The international community continues to view it as part of the Republic of Cyprus, which is considered the legitimate government of the entire island.
The island remains divided along the Green Line, a UN-patrolled buffer zone that separates the Greek Cypriot-administered south from the Turkish-controlled north, which gets financial, political, and military support from Ankara.
Why PM Modi’s Visit to Cyprus Is a Strategic Signal to Turkey
PM Modi’s visit to Cyprus marks his first international trip since Operation Sindoor, during which Turkey openly backed Pakistan.
This is only the third visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Cyprus, following Indira Gandhi in 1983 and Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2002. The timing is significant: India has grown increasingly wary of Turkey’s diplomatic and military alignment with Pakistan, especially since the Pahalgam terror attack and the subsequent Indian military response under Operation Sindoor.
Turkey has been consistently critical of India on international platforms—particularly on Kashmir—and Erdogan has often sought to position himself as a pan-Islamic leader, challenging India’s interests at global forums.
In response, India appears to be countering Turkey’s regional ambitions by deepening its engagement with Turkey’s traditional rivals—including Greece, Armenia, Egypt, and now Cyprus. These diplomatic overtures reflect a calibrated strategy by India to build alliances that isolate Ankara regionally and blunt its influence in South Asia and beyond.
“Turkey is likely to view Modi’s visit to gas-rich Cyprus as a signal of India deepening ties with Ankara’s regional rivals, including Greece, Armenia and Egypt. Yet, unlike Turkey’s strategic and military nexus with Pakistan, Cyprus has long stood by India, including backing its bid for a permanent seat at the UN Security Council,” commentator Brahma Chellaney posted on X on Sunday.
“Set to assume the EU Council presidency next year, Cyprus is a pivotal link in the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). India’s engagement could enhance Cyprus’s role in energy diplomacy while expanding New Delhi’s footprint in the Mediterranean and reinforcing the Mediterranean coalition opposing Turkish expansionism,” he added.
Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter –twitter.com/saurabhkverma19
Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter –twitter.com/saurabhkverma19
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