In a decisive reassertion of India’s increasing global power and diplomatic sagacity, Prime Minister Narendra Modi went on a three-country tour of Cyprus, Canada, and Croatia from 15 to 19 June 2025. Each of these visits were packed with symbolism and content, meant to not only cultivate bilateral relationships but buttress India’s sustained geopolitical scaffolding in the Mediterranean, transatlantic West, and Eastern Europe.
This visit, while limited in geographical extent, is high on purpose, aligning India’s aspirational diplomacy with realistic interests. Whether it is projecting India’s profile in the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) via Cyprus and Croatia, or interlocuting global powers at the G7 summit in Canada, the visit marks the maturation of India from a balancing power to a shaping power in international affairs.
Cyprus: Mediterranean strategic outpost
Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Cyprus on 15 to 16 June 2025 marked the first Indian prime ministerial visit to the island nation in over two decades, rekindling a relationship often overshadowed by more prominent European powers. At a time when the Mediterranean is emerging as a key theatre in great power rivalry and trade realignment, Cyprus offers India a stable, democratic, and pro-India partner.
The Cyprus stopover was not a token visit. It had definite diplomatic and geopolitical undertones. Cyprus is a member of the European Union and is stuck in a geopolitical rivalry with Turkey, a nation increasingly aligned with Pakistan and anti-India sentiments, particularly in platforms such as the OIC. India’s move to get close to Cyprus sends a measured signal to Ankara and reiterates its commitment to sovereign and international law-driven solutions, particularly for Turkish-occupied north Cyprus.
In his interactions with President Nikos Christodoulides, PM Modi repeated India’s stance in favour of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation in Cyprus on UN parameters, eliciting applause from Cypriot leadership for India’s reliability.
India and Cyprus inked new understandings to increase maritime cooperation, cybersecurity discussions, and naval port calls, signalling a shift towards concrete strategic cooperation. Cyprus also reaffirmed support for India’s Free Trade Agreement (FTA) talks with the EU, playing a pivotal role as a European bloc voice for Indian interests.
Cyprus is also a likely window for Indian exports and investments to Southern Europe, and its financial services and shipping registry services offer opportunities for Indian companies to be present in the EU.
PM Modi spoke to the cosmopolitan Indian community in Limassol, recalling the diaspora’s role in weaving soft-power threads. At a sentimental moment, he was awarded Cyprus’s top civilian honour, which marked the reciprocal respect between the two democracies.
Canada: Global platform and diplomatic reset
From Cyprus, the Prime Minister went to Kananaskis, Canada, for 16-17 June to participate in the G7 Summit, his sixth consecutive attendance at the elite event of the world’s leading economies.
The G7 summit gave India an international forum to influence climate finance, energy security, AI and quantum technology, and democratic resilience discussions. PM Modi offered India’s vision for a trust-based framework of AI regulation, moral use of quantum tech, and energy justice for the Global South.
India, although not a G7 member country, has more and more been a permanent guest in the room, thanks to its economic weight and stabilising global role. PM Modi’s interventions, as quoted in media, had unwavering backing, particularly in championing inclusive tech frameworks as well as equitable climate financing mechanisms.
The visit also had an unstated undertone: repairing fences with Canada, following a year of diplomatic strains brought on by Khalistani separatist forces based on Canadian soil. The attendance of PM Modi in Canada and the public perception of interaction with Canadian leadership, conveyed a measured thaw.
There were no public announcements for formal bilateral meetings, while backchannel diplomacy was reportedly on in full swing. A subtle yet clear message was going out: India considers ties with the Canadian state and public important, but will not compromise internal security or national unity.
India’s engagement of Canadian business elites, particularly in strategic minerals, green hydrogen, and education, indicates its desire to re-engage the Canadian establishment without compromising the national interest.
Croatia: Eastern European expansion
The last destination of the tour of the Prime Minister is Croatia, where he is set to reach on June 18. The visit is going to be historic as it is going to be the first-ever visit by any Indian Prime Minister to the country since diplomatic ties were established in 1992.
Though Western European capitals tend to feature prominently in India’s diplomatic schedule, the Modi administration has made a conscious effort to expand India’s presence in Central and Eastern Europe. Croatia, an EU and NATO member, possesses strategic salience for India’s engagement in the Adriatic-Balkan corridor, a region that is increasingly trapped between EU integration and geopolitical hedging.
Discussions with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic and President Zoran Milanovic as reported are largely going to be centred on technology transfer, digital innovation, tourism collaboration, maritime logistics, and defence relations. Indian pharmaceutical and IT companies have already started scouting Croatia as a hub for regional operations.
Croatia is also highlighted as a possible hub in the new India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). With its Adriatic ports of Rijeka and Split, Croatia provides maritime access that complements India’s westward trade aspirations via the Mediterranean and Balkans.
What these tour represents?
Across Cyprus, Canada, and Croatia, a common thread binds PM Modi’s engagements: India’s strategic vision to create concentric circles of influence, rooted in economic pragmatism, cultural diplomacy, strategic clarity, and multilateral leadership.
1. Mediterranean Influence: Cyprus anchors India in the Eastern Mediterranean, offering maritime depth and a geopolitical counterweight to Turkish-Pakistani alignments.
2. Western Bloc Coordination: Canada represents India’s engagement with advanced democracies in shaping global norms, especially on technology, terrorism, and climate.
3. Eastern European Outreach: Croatia opens up new markets, logistical networks, and political capital in the EU’s new axis for India.
4. IMEC Alignment: Both Croatia and Cyprus are geographically well-positioned with India’s IMEC hopes, which aim to construct a believable substitute for China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
5. Diplomacy and Civilisational Connect: At every destination, PM Modi appealed to India’s civilisational richness, reconciling ancient connections with modern-day cooperation.
A quiet confidence of a rising power
Unlike high-drama summits or populist foreign engagements, PM Modi’s June 2025 tour is marked by a quiet confidence. It did not aim to grab headlines through theatrics, but to deepen alliances, reshape global narratives, and push India’s long-term vision.
In a global era of uncertainty, shaken by wars, technological disruptions, and financial unpredictability, India is also increasingly considered a trustworthy, reliable, and strategic friend. This visit has added three pillars, Cyprus, Canada, and Croatia to that rising monument of confidence.
As the world chessboard gets reset, India’s moves are no longer on the back foot. They are proactive, anticipatory, and deliberate. This visit was yet another testament to that intent, Bharat’s path to becoming Vishwaguru is neither random nor symbolic. It is by design, and it is already being written.
