A tale of PM Modi’s three visits

Prime Minister Narendra Modi undertook yet another transcontinental official tour, which took him to three diverse countries – Cyprus, Canada, and Croatia – from 15 to 19 June. Visiting three nations in different time zones in five days involved a punishing schedule, but it was executed to secure clear-cut objectives of Indian diplomacy. The common thread was twofold: to represent India at the still-important summit of the Group of Seven in Canada’s western province of Alberta, and to push India’s strategic partnership with the EU, particularly by forging closer ties with the countries of eastern and central Europe. That this complex operation was planned and executed at extremely short notice was a tribute to the protocol, security, and diplomatic officials, confirming how sophisticated and competent the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has become in such matters.

A wisecrack compared the three-nation trip to a three-course meal, which began with an appetiser in Cyprus, featured varied dishes in the main course at the Kananaskis Summit in Alberta, and ended with a collection of desserts in the Croatian capital, Zagreb. It was a project designed to engage a multiplicity of stakeholders who contributed to advancing India’s partnership with key nations, as well as its growing global profile.

Cyprus

A member of the European Union (EU) since 2004, Cyprus is set to take over the presidency of the European Council in the first half of 2026. It is a small state with a population of less than one million, yet it boasts a high per capita income, and this is evident in its signs of prosperity. Since 1974, it has been a divided island country, with almost one-third of the territory under the control of Turkish Cyprus, recognised by only one country – Türkiye. Ankara’s highly partisan attitude, favouring Pakistan, especially on the Pahalgam terrorist attack and the 'Operation Sindoor,' made Cyprus a natural choice as a destination for PM Modi. What helped the mission was that a close friendship and mutual empathy between the two nations had begun much earlier, during the time of Archbishop Makarios III and Jawaharlal Nehru in the 1960s. Then, the bonds of the Commonwealth and the Non-Aligned Movement made India and Cyprus natural partners. Representing India in Cyprus in the late 1970s, this author experienced the magic of this special friendship and the warmth of Cypriot hospitality every time he visited the country from his diplomatic base in Beirut.

On 15 June, Prime Minister Modi was received in a special gesture by President Nikos Christodoulides at Larnaca Airport. This was the first visit by an Indian PM in two decades. Detailed discussions followed. The leaders focused on ways to strengthen the India-EU strategic partnership, including ongoing discussions on the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA). India conveyed its support to Cyprus on the Cyprus question. The host government expressed full support for India’s stand on combating cross-border terrorism. Efforts to deepen economic cooperation were given a fillip with Cyprus emerging as one of the top ten sources of FDI for India. “Our partnership is becoming increasingly multifaceted,” said a senior official. Defence industrial collaboration and establishing connectivity through shipping and logistics were promoted, with specific steps that became more relevant in the context of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). By bestowing its highest honour, the Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III, on Prime Minister Modi, the Cyprus government demonstrated its goodwill towards India. The joint declaration expressed the two governments’ “determination to advance this partnership across sectors further.”

Canada

The ostensible purpose of visiting Canada was all too obvious: to participate in the outreach session of the G7 summit. PM Modi did so, presenting India’s perspective on energy security and several other topics, including terrorism, technology, and Artificial Intelligence. On the sidelines, he held discussions with several European and other leaders, especially the President of Mexico, Brazil, and South Africa.

It was the Canadian dimension of the stay at Kananaskis that emerged as a welcome development in terms of India-Canada relations. In the background of preparatory work by senior officials, the two prime ministers reached an agreement on a significant reset of the bilateral relationship, which had been severely strained by certain actions of the previous Canadian government since October 2023. The basic agreement centred around the two sides taking “calibrated and constructive steps” to restore stability to the relationship. It was also decided to restart senior ministerial-level and working-level arrangements across various domains “to rebuild, trust and bring momentum to the relationship.”

Croatia

Even those who are well-informed about foreign affairs face difficulty in answering the question as to what followed the disintegration of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s. What is easy to recall is that as a result, Croatia emerged as one of the independent states. Marshal Josip Broz Tito, the president of Yugoslavia and a great friend of India during the Cold War period, was a Croat. Choosing Croatia for the first-ever visit by an Indian PM was indeed historic. With a population of 3.8 million and an area of over 56,000 km², Croatia, a member of the European Union, enjoys a strategically important location on the Adriatic Sea. It is rich in tourism, trade, and investment potential.

The reception of Prime Minister Modi by Prime Minister Andrej Plenković at the airport, along with elaborate bilateral discussions and the signing of four agreements relating to cooperation in agriculture, science and technology, cultural exchange, and the establishment of a Hindi chair at the University of Zagreb, were among the highlights of this visit. It was agreed that a stronger India-EU relationship would be mutually beneficial. The host nation’s interest in IMEC was also noted. The two sides expressed interest in concluding a mobility partnership agreement. PM Modi’s visit came six years after India’s President Ram Nath Kovind visited Croatia. MEA expressed the hope that the latest visit would be “a catalyst to the expansion of India-Croatia partnership and (would) further strengthen India-EU strategic partnership.”

A post on X by the Croatian PM drew attention to the intellectual and cultural dimensions of this relationship, He presented to his Indian counterpart a reprint of Filip Vezdin’s Sanskrit Grammar written in 1790, based on the knowledge he gained while living in India from Kerala Brahmins and local manuscripts, Prime Minister Plenković hailed it as a “symbol of early cultural ties between Croatia and India.”

With this diplomatic odyssey, the tapestry of India’s foreign policy became richer. India renewed old friendships and gained new friends. The multi-country visit demonstrated our nation’s expertise in nurturing ties with great powers, middle powers, and small states. This is the hallmark of an accomplished player performing on the global stage.