“Cyprus offers Indian maritime businesses a reliable, efficient, and internationally connected base for regional and global operations”
How do you evaluate the current state of Cyprus relations with India in the shipping and maritime sector?
Cyprus and India share a long-standing and steadily growing relationship in the shipping and maritime sector, built on mutual trust, operational cooperation, and strong people-to-people connections within the industry. Today, I would describe our relations as strong, positive, and full of potential for further growth.
Our cooperation has also been strengthened institutionally through the Bilateral Agreement on Merchant Shipping signed between Cyprus and India in 2017, which further enhanced collaboration in areas such as maritime operations, compliance, and labor relations.
In recent years, both countries have shown renewed interest in deepening this cooperation. Following high-level meetings during the “Maritime Cyprus 2023” conference, discussions have continued on establishing the first Cyprus–India Joint Maritime Committee to promote more structured mutual cooperation
Furthermore, Cyprus today is one of the world’s leading ship management centers and the largest in the European Union. Many global ship management companies based in Limassol maintain strong operational links and partnerships with India, particularly in technical management, crewing, engineering support, and other maritime services.
The relationship is evolving from traditional maritime cooperation into a broader strategic partnership that includes logistics, trade connectivity, digitalization, sustainability, and future maritime innovation.
Cyprus is increasingly positioned as a strategic gateway to Europe. How can Indian maritime and shipping companies benefit from this positioning?
Indian maritime and shipping companies can benefit significantly from Cyprus’s position as a gateway to Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean region. As a member of the European Union, Cyprus offers direct access to European markets within a stable and business-friendly regulatory environment.
Cyprus provides a competitive shipping framework, including reliable and competitive ship registration, maritime finance, insurance, legal services, and a competitive tonnage tax system. These advantages can support Indian companies seeking to expand their international operations and strengthen their presence in Europe.
Cyprus also offers modern port and logistics infrastructure, particularly through Limassol Port and the ongoing development of the Vasiliko energy hub. These facilities create opportunities in cargo handling, transshipment, logistics, and energy-related maritime activities.
In addition, Cyprus’s location allows companies to efficiently connect operations between Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. This positioning is becoming increasingly important as new regional trade and connectivity initiatives continue to develop.
Overall, Cyprus offers Indian maritime businesses a reliable, efficient, and internationally connected base for regional and global operations.
What specific strategies or initiatives are being considered to enhance Cyprus – India cooperation in maritime trade, logistics, and port development?
The prospects for further strengthening maritime cooperation between Cyprus and India are particularly encouraging, given the strong complementarities between the two countries and their shared commitment to enhancing international connectivity and maritime stability.
Cyprus is actively working to strengthen maritime cooperation with India through a number of practical initiatives and long-term partnerships. One key priority is expanding collaboration in trade connectivity and logistics, particularly in the framework of regional projects such as the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).
Another important area is closer cooperation between maritime authorities, ports, and private sector stakeholders from both countries. Cyprus is encouraging partnerships in port operations, shipping services, logistics, and maritime technology, while also promoting greater business-to-business engagement through maritime forums and investment initiatives.
Cyprus is also investing in the modernization of its ports and energy infrastructure, including developments in Limassol, Larnaca and Vasiliko, which can create new opportunities for trade, transshipment, and energy cooperation with India.
In parallel both countries can further strengthen collaboration in areas such as green shipping, digitalization, maritime education, seafarer training, and technical ship management services. These matters are expected to be addressed during the first meeting of the Maritime Joint Committee (MJC) that will take place within 2026.
At the same time, new business and investment opportunities are emerging. A good example is the recent cooperation involving the Cyprus-based company Pelagic Partners and Cochin Shipyard in India for the construction of Cyprus-flaggedvessels. This development opens a new chapter in Cyprus–India maritime cooperation, particularly in shipbuilding and maritime investment.
Cyprus sees strong potential for a broader strategic maritime partnership with India, combining India’s growing global maritime presence with Cyprus’s experience, expertise, and European Union connectivity.
How can Cyprus’s expertise in shipping management and maritime services complement India’s expanding maritime ambitions?
Cyprus and India possess highly complementary strengths in the maritime sector, creating significant opportunities for deeper strategic cooperation. India is steadily expanding its maritime footprint through major investments in port modernization, trade connectivity, logistics infrastructure, and broader initiatives such as the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). Cyprus, in turn, offers internationally recognized expertise across the full spectrum of maritime services.The capabilities of the Cyprus maritime cluster can substantially support India’s growing maritime ambitions and its increasing integration into global supply chains.
At the same time, the maritime relationship between Cyprus and India is already longstanding and well established. India remains one of the most important providers of highly skilled seafarers for Cyprus-managed and Cyprus-flagged vessels, while many shipping companies based in Cyprus maintain operational partnerships and technical support structures in India. This has created a strong foundation of trust, operational familiarity, and institutional cooperation over the years.
Furthermore, Cyprus offers Indian maritime enterprises a stable and competitive European platform through its high-quality flag, its simplelegal and regulatory framework, a highly competitive tonnage tax system and an attractive shipping business environment. In this regard, Cyprus can serve not only as a maritime services partner, but also as a strategic gateway connecting Indian maritime interests with the broader European maritime ecosystem.
The India–Greece–Cyprus (IGC) Business and Investment Council is gaining attention do you see it contributing to stronger maritime ties with India?
Yes, certainly. The India–Greece–Cyprus Business and Investment Council represents a highly promising initiative with considerable potential to strengthen maritime cooperation among the three countries.
Each partner brings distinct yet complementary advantages to this framework. India is an increasingly influential global maritime and trading power; Greece remains one of the world’s foremost ship-owning nations; and Cyprus has developed into a leading international maritime services and ship management centre. Collectively, these strengths create important synergies across shipping, logistics, trade, and connectivity.
The Council can provide an institutional platform for promoting closer business engagement, facilitating investment partnerships, and encouraging cooperation in areas such as maritime transport, port infrastructure, shipping services, maritime technology, energy logistics, and green shipping solutions. It may also support the broader strategic objectives associated with IMEC and regional connectivity initiatives linking India with Europe through the Eastern Mediterranean.
Equally important, the Council can contribute to a more structured dialogue on issues of common strategic interest, including supply chain resilience, maritime security, sustainability, and digital transformation within the shipping industry. In the current international environment, such multilateral cooperation frameworks are becoming increasingly valuable for ensuring stability, connectivity, and economic growth.