PM Modi Cyprus Visit: Highest Honour Conferred, Pakistan's Friend Turkey Stares in Awe

The visit of Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi to Cyprus has been attracting the attention of the world community since he was given the Grand Collar of the Order of Makarios III, the highest civilian honour of the Republic of Cyprus. This historic honour was awarded by the President of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, who not only honoured the strengthening of the friendship between India and Cyprus but also revamped the regional politics (given that Turkey and Pakistan are sidelined observers).

President Nikos Christodoulides and I held wide-ranging talks, covering the full range of India-Cyprus relations. It’s widely known that bilateral ties between our nations are time-tested. Today, we talked about cooperation in areas like defence, security, trade, technology,… pic.twitter.com/LmoOIZVjw9

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 16, 2025

A Diplomatic Milestone in Nicosia

In his speech during the official ceremony, President Christodoulides congratulated PM Modi on his visionary leadership and the role the latter played in enhancing India in the international arena and enhancing the role that India plays in promoting peace, economic development, and multilateral cooperation. Not only does it reward the status of PM Modi, but also the upcoming fascination with Cyprus as a developing superpower in the global arena.

The visit was accompanied by a bilateral discussion to enhance the cooperation between the two countries in technology, education, maritime security, and investment, and the two leaders stressed that the two countries share democratic values and a strategic partnership.

A Regional Power Shift?

What further makes this visit geopolitically important is the response of Turkey, a long-time ally of Pakistan that on many occasions offers an opposite position to the Indian one in global forums. According to analysts, when Cyprus decided to confer this high honour on Prime Minister Modi, it could be seen as a diplomatic slap in the face of Ankara, as Cyprus has had conflicts with Turkey in the past.

Considering that Pakistan has all along been on the same boat with Turkey on Kashmir and other matters, this turn may have a far-reaching impact on realigning strategic calculations and India stepping into the shoes of a preferred partner to previously pro-Pakistan states.

India’s Expanding Global Footprint

This award will be an addition to the existing list of global awards given to Prime Minister Modi that can further strengthen the narrative of India being a global force of soft power diplomacy. Since Cyprus has clearly acknowledged that India has made significant contributions to peace and development in international society, New Delhi has achieved remarkable success in its foreign policy approach.

As India develops its ties with small but strategically important countries like Cyprus, they are not only developing better bilateral relations but also disturbing the balance of the region in a small but very effective way.