President Nikos Christodoulides on Friday evening highlighted the “shared historical experiences” of Cyprus and India as he addressed a state banquet held in his honour by Indian President Droupadi Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, her country’s presidential palace.
“On a map, Cyprus and India appear geographically separated by thousands of miles. They differ – slightly – in size and population, and yet there is an invisible thread which has woven our countries and our people together, and has seamlessly connected our countries for centuries,” he said.
He pointed out that “Indian carnelian beads dating back to the Bronze Age” had been found during archaeological digs in Cyprus, and said that this finding constitutes “a testament to the ancient commercial ties between the Indian subcontinent and the eastern Mediterranean” and “a reflection of centuries of human connection between our peoples”.
“Long before trade routes connected us, Cyprus and India were linked through commerce and the exchange of cultures and ideas,” he said.
Moving towards the modern era, he said that “the ties between Cyprus and India are also rooted in shared historical experiences”, which were “forged through common struggles” and today “strengthened by our joint commitment to democracy and respect for international law”.
Looking ahead, he said that Cyprus and India will now “build” their strategic partnership “on solid foundations and a clear vision”.
“This growing partnership does not exist in a vacuum,” he added, before going on to stress the importance of the fact that the European Union has also tightened its relationship with India in recent years.
On this matter, he said that this “culminated … when the political agreement was announced … concluding the milestone free trade agreement”.
“It is my firm conviction that, in an increasingly shifting geopolitical environment, the EU-India relationship will be one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century,” he said.
He added that that partnership “can help safeguard stability, resilience, connectivity, and the rules-based international order”.
Cyprus, he said, “will act as a trusted, reliable bridge between the EU and India”.
“I am confident that together, taking the thread that has connected us for centuries, we will make the tapestry of the great next chapters of Cyprus-India relations,” he said.
Murmu, meanwhile, said that “since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1962, India and Cyprus have stood by each other”.
“Our time-tested friendship is based on mutual respect, shared values, trust, and solidarity,” she said, before pointing out that next year will be the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
“This will be a wonderful opportunity to add new dimensions to our relationship,” she added.
On this matter, she said that “technology and innovation have emerged as some of the most forward-looking areas of our cooperation”, and that as such, “I believe there is vast potential for collaboration in sectors such as semiconductors, renewable energy, green energy, space, sustainable development, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence”.
She later hailed the advancement of cultural exchanges between India and Cyprus, saying that “yoga, ayurveda, Indian cinema, and the contributions of the Indian diaspora living in Cyprus have brought the people of our two countries closer together”.
Ayurveda is an alternative medicine system which originates in India, with therapies including herbal medicines, special diets, meditation, massage, laxatives, enemas, and medical oils.
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