High Commissioner of India to Cyprus, Mr Manish, and Rector of University of Nicosia, Professor Philippos Pouyioutas, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on June 15, 2025 for the establishment of a Chair in Indian Studies at the University of Nicosia. This marks the first such Chair to be hosted at a university in Cyprus, co-funded by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR).

The signing ceremony took place at the Park Lane Hotel in Limassol, immediately prior to the “Cyprus–India Round Table: Advancing Strategic Economic Partnership”, and attended by President Nikos Christodoulides and Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi. Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Cyprus underscored the strong diplomatic, cultural and economic ties between the two nations, grounded in shared principles of democracy, pluralism and respect for human rights.

During the MoU signing ceremony, High Commissioner Manish outlined next steps, explaining that the ICCR and the University of Nicosia will jointly select the first professor to hold the Chair. Rector Pouyioutas expressed his gratitude for the collaboration and noted that the Chair will offer the university community – and the island’s wider public – a window into the culture and rich heritage of India, further strengthening the bonds between the peoples of the two countries.