During visit of President Christodoulides, Cypriot officials push on Mediterranean leg of IMEC

Cypriot officials have strongly advocated for the accelerated development of the Mediterranean leg of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) during the visit of President Nikos Christodoulides to India, positioning the country as a key gateway for the ambitious connectivity project.

Officials emphasised starting concrete work on the European end of the corridor, particularly involving Greece, Cyprus, and Italy as the primary entry points into Europe. “We agree that we need to start building the building blocks... We believe that we should start from the Mediterranean, like Greece, Cyprus, Italy and India,” a senior Cypriot official stated, underlining the strategic focus on the Mediterranean segment.

The officials highlighted Cyprus’s unique geographic and maritime advantages to make the Mediterranean leg operational. They noted Cyprus’s role as a stable, reliable hub amid regional instability.

“Cyprus can be a part of that... we can be the safe partner,” one official declared. They pointed to Cyprus’s significant maritime capabilities, revealing that Cypriot ship owners are already ordering vessels from Indian shipyards.

During its current presidency of the EU Council that started in January, Cyprus has taken a proactive step by forming an IMEC working group within the European Union. “We decided and we formed the friends of the IMEC group within the European Union. It was a decision of Cyprus,” the officials stressed.

The push comes as work on IMEC saw a setback after the October 7 attacks in Israel and subsequent conflicts in Gaza and Iran. Cypriot officials acknowledged the difficulties but called for immediate progress on the Mediterranean side.

“Need to start building this very important corridor,” they noted. Officials stressed that the private sector must drive implementation while governments provide the political framework. “We are preparing the ground for when the time is right,” they added, advocating for infrastructure alliances, enhanced port and airport connectivity, and storage facilities.

Cyprus’s ports, located just minutes from airports, were presented as ideal for efficient cargo handling and e-commerce distribution into Europe and West Asia. Cypriot leaders expressed confidence that focusing on the Mediterranean leg, leveraging strong India-Cyprus ties and Cyprus’s position as a trusted EU member, would provide a solid foundation for the entire corridor, creating a major secure alternative supply chain route.

During the ongoing visit of the President, Cyprus has announced the opening of a trade office in Mumbai and plans to shoot a Bollywood film in Cyprus from June, signalling deepening cultural and economic ties. Both sides have agreed to double the trade ties in the next 5 years.