India and Cyprus Discuss Strengthening Naval Cooperation and Maritime Security
- International
- (Asia/Kolkata)
India and Cyprus on Tuesday discussed ways to strengthen naval cooperation through coordination between naval leadership, maritime security and domain awareness, search and rescue operations, joint training, professional exchanges and port visits by Indian Navy ships.
The discussions took place between an Indian defence delegation led by Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and Commander of the Cyprus Naval Command Commodore Nikolaos Loukas during the Indian delegation’s visit to the Mari Naval Base. India’s High Commissioner to Cyprus, Manish, also accompanied the delegation.
The Indian High Commission in Cyprus said in a post on X that Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, accompanied by High Commissioner Manish and the Indian defence delegation, visited the Mari Naval Base and met Commodore Nikolaos Loukas, Commander of the Cyprus Naval Command.
According to the post, the discussions focused on coordination between naval leadership, maritime security and domain awareness, search and rescue operations, joint training, professional exchanges and closer cooperation between the two navies through port visits by Indian Navy ships.
The meeting also advanced discussions on practical naval cooperation under the Roadmap for Bilateral Defence Cooperation (2026–2031), with an emphasis on sustained engagement between the two navies.
Indian Delegation Visits Cyprus Naval Patrol Vessel
According to a statement issued by the Indian High Commission in Cyprus, Rajesh Kumar Singh, along with Manish and the Indian defence delegation, visited the Cyprus naval offshore patrol vessel (OPV) Commodore Andreas Ioannides (P61) at the Mari Naval Base.
During the visit, the Indian delegation interacted with the officers and crew and received a briefing from the Cyprus Naval Command. The High Commission said the interaction aboard the vessel provided an opportunity to discuss maritime security, professional exchanges and cooperation between the two countries.
Defence Secretary Pays Tribute to Soldiers Who Defended Cyprus in 1974
During his visit, Rajesh Kumar Singh also laid a wreath at the Makedonitissa Military Cemetery in Nicosia and signed the visitors’ book. He paid tribute to Greek and Cypriot soldiers who lost their lives defending Cyprus in 1974.
In a separate post on X, the Indian High Commission said Singh, accompanied by High Commissioner Manish and the Indian defence delegation, honoured the soldiers who had sacrificed their lives in the defence of Cyprus.
The High Commission added that India has consistently supported Cyprus’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. It also highlighted the longstanding association of Indian military personnel with the island’s security, including General K.S. Thimayya, who led the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) and died in Cyprus in 1965.
Official Visit to Cyprus on October 12–13
Rajesh Kumar Singh is on an official visit to Cyprus from October 12 to 13. During the visit, he is holding meetings with his counterparts at the Cyprus Ministry of Defence and meeting the country’s leadership.
In a statement, the Ministry of Defence said the India–Cyprus strategic partnership had gained further momentum following the visit of the President of Cyprus to India in May 2026. It expressed the expectation that the Defence Secretary’s visit would further strengthen the shared commitment to deepening and expanding bilateral cooperation, particularly in the maritime domain.
