Brussels, Belgium. Cyprus Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos met India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Sunday and stressed the need for diplomacy and dialogue amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Kombos held the meeting during a visit to Brussels for the EU Foreign Affairs Council and talks with European counterparts.
Focus on diplomacy and regional developments
Kombos said the ministers exchanged views on what he described as “profoundly concerning developments” in the Middle East. He said the talks also covered international conflicts including those in the Middle East and Russia’s war on Ukraine.
EU-India relations and trade discussions
The two ministers discussed relations between the European Union and India following the recent EU-India summit and the EU-India free trade agreement, which had been signed in January.
Cyprus-India strategic partnership and upcoming visit
Kombos said the meeting addressed further steps in the Cyprus-India strategic partnership ahead of an upcoming visit by President Nikos Christodoulides to India. Christodoulides is set to travel to India in late May, accompanied by several ministers and a delegation of business owners, with the stated aim of boosting economic and strategic ties between Cyprus and India.
Modi’s 2025 visit to Cyprus
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Cyprus in June 2025 and said the trip added “a significant impetus to relations between India and Cyprus, especially in areas such as trade, investment, and others,” while describing Cyprus as “a close friend and an important partner.”
What aspects of Cyprus-India cooperation would you like to see prioritised during President Christodoulides’ upcoming visit to India?