New Delhi [India], November 27 (ANI): India and Cyprus opened a new chapter in their parliamentary partnership on Thursday as Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla met a visiting Cypriot delegation led by Annita Demetriou, President of the House of Representatives. The visit marked the first such engagement in three decades, highlighting both nations’ commitment to strengthening democratic institutions.
The meeting was part of a series of diplomatic discussions by the Cypriot delegation aimed at enhancing parliamentary cooperation and expanding the scope of legislative diplomacy. Speaker Birla noted the longstanding and warm relations between India and Cyprus, built on shared democratic values, mutual trust, and close collaboration. He also recalled Cyprus conferring its highest civilian honour, the Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III, on Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this year as a symbol of deep goodwill.
The Cypriot delegation expressed appreciation for India’s support on global platforms and endorsed New Delhi’s firm stance on terrorism. “Both sides agreed on the need to expand cooperation in parliamentary training, capacity building, research exchange, and people-to-people engagement,” the press statement noted.
Following the meeting, Birla wrote on X, “Discussed our shared democratic values and the renewed momentum added to our multi-sectoral cooperation following the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Cyprus in June this year.” He briefed the delegation on India’s efforts to modernise parliamentary functioning, including the use of Artificial Intelligence, the Digital Sansad platform, and other technology-driven tools aimed at improving transparency and multilingual accessibility.
Birla also highlighted the pivotal role of Parliamentary Committees and underscored that India’s Constitution continues to guide social justice, economic empowerment, and inclusive governance.
The Cypriot leaders praised India’s new Parliament building for its blend of heritage and modernity. “The visiting dignitaries deeply admired the architectural brilliance, technological sophistication, and rich civilizational ethos embodied in India’s new Parliament House,” the statement added. (ANI)
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