The High Commissioner of India to Cyprus, Mr. Manish, and the Rector of the University of Nicosia, Professor Philippos Pouyioutas, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Sunday, June 15, 2025, to establish the first Chair of Indian Studies in Cyprus at the University of Nicosia. The initiative is co-funded by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations and marks a milestone in academic and cultural cooperation between the two countries.

The signing ceremony took place at the Park Lane Hotel in Limassol, just ahead of the “Cyprus–India Roundtable: Advancing Strategic Economic Partnership,” attended by President Nikos Christodoulides and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Cyprus underscored the strong diplomatic, cultural, and economic ties between the two nations, rooted in shared values of democracy, pluralism, and respect for human rights.

During the ceremony, High Commissioner Manish outlined the next steps, noting that the Council and the University of Nicosia will jointly appoint the inaugural Chair Professor of Indian Studies.

Rector Pouyioutas expressed his appreciation for the collaboration, stating that the Chair will serve as an open window into Indian culture, accessible not only to the university community but also to the broader public in Cyprus. He emphasized that the initiative will further strengthen the people-to-people connection between India and Cyprus.