Indian defence secretary visits Cyprus

India’s Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh is visiting Cyprus on Monday and Tuesday for talks focusing on maritime security and defence industrial cooperation, as New Delhi seeks to strengthen its strategic partnerships with European Union countries. According to a statement issued by India’s defence ministry, Singh will meet officials from the Cypriot defence ministry and hold discussions with the country’s leadership during his two-day visit on October 12 and 13. He is expected to meet with Defence Minister Vasilis Palmas on Tuesday. The visit follows President Nikos Christodoulides’ trip to India in May 2026, which gave fresh momentum to the strategic partnership between the two countries. The Indian defence ministry said the talks are expected to reaffirm both countries’ commitment to expanding bilateral cooperation, particularly in the maritime sector. Singh will subsequently travel to Greece as part of his October 12 to 15 tour, where he is scheduled to meet senior defence and military officials. The Greek defence minister visited India in February 2026 and held talks with his Indian counterpart, Rajnath Singh, reflecting growing cooperation between Athens and New Delhi in defence and strategic affairs. The visit also comes as India seeks to deepen its security and defence ties with EU member states following the signing of the India-EU Security and Defence Partnership. Maritime security and cooperation between defence industries are expected to feature prominently in discussions in both Cyprus and Greece.