PM Modi receives Cyprus’ Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III

23rd global honour to PM reflects world acknowledging and respecting ‘New India’

Nicosia: India’s strengthened diplomatic relationships and the country’s expanding influence across the globe was once again visible on Monday as President of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, conferred upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi Cyprus’s honour – the Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III – at the Presidential Palace in Nicosia.

The award marks the 23rd international recognition bestowed on PM Modi by a foreign country, underlining his unmatched stature - no Prime Minister of India has ever had such a profound global impact - as a global statesman who remains committed to regional peace, development, and spiritual diplomacy.

Christodoulides, while awarding the Grand Cross, acknowledged that it was an honour to have PM Modi in Nicosia on this historic visit, 23 years since the last visit of an Indian Prime Minister to Cyprus. He also thanked India for its long-standing stance on the Cyprus issue and Nicosia’s efforts to end the Turkish occupation. Cyprus, he said, is a predictable and secure ally of India in a region of particular geostrategic importance, such as the Eastern Mediterranean, the wider Middle East.

“At the same time, it is a Member State of the European Union (EU) that constitutes India’s gateway to Europe, and in the context of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU that will begin on 1 January 2026, we will work to further strengthen India’s strategic relations with the EU,” said Christodoulides.

Accepting the honour on behalf of 1.4 billion Indians, Prime Minister Modi expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the President, the government, and the people of Cyprus. He dedicated the award to the longstanding warm ties between India and Cyprus which are built on shared values and mutual trust. He further noted that the award was a recognition of India’s age-old philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ or ‘the world is one family’ that guides its vision for global peace and progress.

Notwithstanding the massive significance of PM Modi’s visit to the country which strengthened Nicosia-New Delhi bond, experts reckon that Prime Minister’s 23rd global honour is not just about one leader and reflects the rise of India’s economic strength, strategic clarity, and diplomatic assertiveness on the world stage.

Having admitted that none of it would have been possible without the unwavering trust that 140 crore Indians have placed in his leadership, Prime Minister Modi embraced the honour on Monday as a renewed commitment to strengthening and diversifying the partnership between India and Cyprus.

“For the first time, India’s foreign policy is unapologetically ‘India First’ — clear-headed, confident, and consistent. The world is not just watching; it is acknowledging and respecting this new India,” a former diplomat opined. (IANS)

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