The 1st meeting of the Cyprus–India Joint Maritime Committee was held yesterday in Limassol, within the framework of the Bilateral Agreement on Merchant Shipping signed between the two countries in 2017.

The Joint Maritime Committee constitutes an important mechanism for strengthening institutional dialogue and further developing maritime cooperation between Cyprus and India, providing a platform for addressing matters of mutual interest and advancing concrete areas of cooperation.

The meeting was co-chaired by Dr Theodoulos Mesimeris, Acting Permanent Secretary of the Shipping Deputy Ministry of Cyprus, and Mr Venkatesapathy S., Joint Secretary for International Cooperation at the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways of India.

During the meeting, the maritime sectors and shipping ecosystems of the two countries were presented. From the Cypriot side, the Cyprus’ maritime sector was presented, as well as the wide range of maritime and related services offered by Cyprus as a comprehensive maritime centre.

The two sides also exchanged views on further strengthening cooperation between their maritime industries, as well as on best practices, policies and strategies in key areas falling within the remit and operations of their respective Ministries.

Discussions focused on areas of mutual interest, with particular emphasis on maritime education and training, as well as opportunities to attract investment to the maritime sectors of both countries. Cooperation between Cyprus and India within the framework of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) was also discussed, together with other matters of common interest.

The first meeting of the Joint Maritime Committee forms part of the Cyprus–India Joint Action Plan and follows the official visit of the President of the Republic of Cyprus to India, as well as the shared commitment of the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, to further strengthen bilateral relations, with maritime cooperation constituting an important area of partnership between the two countries.

On the margins of the visit of the Indian delegation, discussions also focused on the upcoming official visit of the Shipping Deputy Minister of Cyprus to India, which will be accompanied by a Cyprus maritime business delegation, with a Maritime Business Forum to be held in Mumbai in November. Discussions covered the organisation of the Forum, and it was agreed that the relevant Indian authorities would work together with the private sector and the country’s business and industry chambers for its successful preparation.

The visit is expected to further strengthen institutional and business-to-business ties and to identify new opportunities for cooperation between the maritime sectors of Cyprus and India.