Cyprus and Turkey

Indian PM Modi’s recent visit to Cyprus raised a few eyebrows. How is this internationally not so significant country on the agenda of the Indian PM?

🔸️Turkey frequently argues about Kashmir, which is a part part of India  for centuries. Turkey supports Pakistan on several fronts.

🔸️Cyprus & Turkey are neighboring countries and have a long-time international dispute.

Cyprus has a complex and contentious relationship with Turkey, primarily resulting from the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus and the subsequent division of the island.

Turkey supports the Turkish Cypriot-administered northern part of the island, while the Republic of Cyprus, recognized internationally, controls the southern part. This division has led to ongoing disputes over maritime zones and natural resources, with Turkey claiming a portion of Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone.
Some time back when, as usual, Turkey interfered in Kashmir issue in UN , Indian external affairs minister S Jayshankar reminded Turkey of Cyprus, and Turkey became silent.

Turkey favors Pakistan and supplied war materials to Pakistan in the recent Pak-India war. Turkey is part of NATO and didn’t support Israel.  Turkey provocatively threatened to invade Israel over Israeli attacks on Gaza Strip. After a strong rebuke by Israel, Turkey retracted silently. Apart from Iran, Turkey is  assertive owing to its military might and weaponry in the Middle East. In the Azerbaijan and Armenia conflict, Turkey stood with Azerbaijan, and in the Ukraine- Russia war played a crucial role in allowing Ukrainian grain export through black sea.

Turkey used its veto power aggressively in Finland and Sweden’s bid to become member countries of NATO  and succeeded in securing tripartite memorandum for extradition of workers of Kurdistan workers party and its Syrian offshoot who were living in these Nordic countries. These parties are considered  national threats by Turkey. Turkey wanted Finland and Sweden to declare some 20-plus workers of these political parties as involved in terrorist activities against Turkey and pressurized these NATO aspiring countries to extradite them. Turkey joined NATO on a potential threat of a Russian invasion.