India offers Cypriot Navy training support to boost maritime defence ties
Synopsis
India's Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh visited the Mari Naval Base in Cyprus on 12 October 2026 and offered training, capacity building, and technical assistance to the Cypriot Navy — a quiet but pointed signal that India is expanding its strategic footprint into the Eastern Mediterranean, building on a partnership that gained momentum after the Cypriot President's visit to New Delhi just months ago.
Key Takeaways
Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh visited Cyprus on 12–13 October 2026 for an official two-day visit.
India offered the Cypriot Navy support in training, capacity building, and technical assistance to enhance maritime security.
Singh met Cypriot Naval Commander Commodore Nicolaos Luca at the Mari Naval Base and Ambassador Salina Sambos at Cyprus' Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Both sides reaffirmed intent to deepen the India-Cyprus Strategic Partnership , with emphasis on maritime security and defence industrial cooperation.
Singh also met UN Special Representative Khassim Diagne and Force Commander Major General Mohammad Asadullah Minhazul Alam to discuss the UNFICYP mandate and India's UN peacekeeping role.
Singh is next scheduled to visit Greece for defence meetings with senior Greek military leadership.
Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh on 12 October 2026 offered the Cypriot Navy support in training, capacity building, and technical assistance to strengthen maritime security, as both India and Cyprus reaffirmed their intent to deepen their defence and strategic partnership. The offer was made during Singh's official two-day visit to Cyprus from 12–13 October 2026, according to a statement by India's Ministry of Defence.
Key Meetings at the Mari Naval Base
Singh met Cypriot Naval Commander Commodore Nicolaos Luca at the Mari Naval Base in Cyprus, where discussions centred on expanding maritime and security cooperation. The Ministry of Defence noted that India's offer encompasses training programmes, institutional capacity building, and technical assistance to enhance the operational readiness of the Cypriot Navy.
This engagement reflects a broader shift in India's defence diplomacy — positioning itself not just as a buyer of global defence technology, but as a provider of maritime expertise and capacity to partner nations, particularly in strategically significant regions like the Eastern Mediterranean.
Bilateral and Diplomatic Discussions
Singh also held a separate meeting with Ambassador Salina Sambos, Political Director at Cyprus' Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on 12 October 2026. The two sides discussed bilateral, regional, and global issues. According to the Ministry, both parties 'reiterated the desire to further strengthen and expand the defence and strategic partnership between India and Cyprus with special emphasis on maritime security and defence industrial cooperation.'
Notably, the visit follows the President of Cyprus's visit to India in May 2026, which the Ministry of Defence said gave the India-Cyprus Strategic Partnership 'further momentum.' Singh's visit is described as an effort to underscore the shared commitment to deepening bilateral engagement, particularly in the maritime domain.
UN Peacekeeping Discussions in Nicosia
On the sidelines of his Cyprus engagements, Singh met Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General Khassim Diagne and Force Commander Major General Mohammad Asadullah Minhazul Alam in Nicosia. Discussions covered the mandate of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), India's longstanding contribution to UN peacekeeping operations, and continued support for the mission's work on the island.
Greece Visit to Follow
After concluding his engagements in Cyprus, Singh is scheduled to travel to Greece for an official visit, where he will meet senior defence and military leadership. The back-to-back visits to two Eastern Mediterranean nations signal India's intensifying strategic outreach in a region of growing geopolitical relevance, particularly given ongoing maritime security concerns in the Mediterranean and Red Sea corridors.
Point of View
Israel, and Gaza — and Cyprus sits at the intersection of multiple fault lines. India's growing engagement in this theatre, framed around maritime security and defence industrial cooperation, suggests New Delhi is actively building a network of like-minded maritime partners beyond its traditional Indian Ocean focus. The back-to-back Cyprus-Greece itinerary is not coincidental; both countries have strained ties with Turkey, a dynamic that quietly aligns their interests with India's. What remains to be seen is whether these visits translate into concrete defence exports or joint exercise frameworks — or remain at the level of strategic optics.
NationPress
13 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did India offer the Cypriot Navy during the October 2026 visit?
India offered the Cypriot Navy support in training, capacity building, and technical assistance to enhance maritime security. The offer was made by Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh during his visit to the Mari Naval Base in Cyprus on 12 October 2026.
Who did Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh meet in Cyprus?
Singh met Cypriot Naval Commander Commodore Nicolaos Luca at the Mari Naval Base and Ambassador Salina Sambos, Political Director at Cyprus' Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He also met UN Special Representative Khassim Diagne and Force Commander Major General Mohammad Asadullah Minhazul Alam in Nicosia to discuss the UNFICYP mandate.
Why is the India-Cyprus defence partnership gaining momentum in 2026?
The partnership gained fresh momentum after the President of Cyprus visited India in May 2026, following which both sides identified maritime security and defence industrial cooperation as priority areas. Singh's October visit is part of that follow-through.
What is the UNFICYP and what is India's role in it?
The United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) is a UN mission established to maintain peace on the island. India has a longstanding history of contributing troops to the mission, a point discussed by Singh during his meeting with UN representatives in Nicosia on 12 October 2026.
Where does Rajesh Kumar Singh travel after Cyprus?
After completing his engagements in Cyprus on 13 October 2026, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh is scheduled to visit Greece, where he will hold meetings with senior Greek defence and military leadership.
