SOURCE: AFI
Cyprus has expressed keen interest in acquiring long-range loitering munitions from India, spurred by their proven effectiveness during India’s Operation Sindoor against Pakistan in May 2025, according to posts on X and defense sources cited by Indian Defence Research Wing (idrw.org).
The successful deployment of indigenous and Indo-Israeli loitering munitions, such as the Nagastra-1 and SkyStriker, in targeting terrorist infrastructure has positioned India as an emerging supplier of advanced unmanned systems. This development, highlighted during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Cyprus, underscores the deepening defense ties between the two nations and India’s growing stature in the global arms market amid Cyprus’s ongoing military tensions with Turkey.
India’s Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, 2025, marked a significant escalation in its conflict with Pakistan, targeting nine terrorist camps in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and Punjab province. The operation, a response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians, utilized precision-guided loitering munitions, including the indigenous Nagastra-1 by Solar Industries and the Indo-Israeli SkyStriker by Alpha Design Technologies, alongside Rafale jets armed with SCALP missiles and BrahMos cruise missiles. These “suicide drones,” capable of loitering over target areas to identify and strike with high precision, destroyed key Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba bases, including those in Bahawalpur and Muridke, with minimal collateral damage.
Cyprus’s interest in India’s loitering munitions stems from its long-standing military dispute with Turkey, which occupies the northern part of the island since 1974. The Cyprus-Turkey conflict, rooted in ethnic divisions and territorial claims, has seen Turkey deploy advanced drones like the Bayraktar TB2, which were used effectively in conflicts such as Nagorno-Karabakh. Posts on X from June 15, 2025, indicate that India has offered to sell long-range loitering munitions to Cyprus, with discussions gaining traction during Modi’s visit, which emphasized military cooperation and regional security.
India’s success in Operation Sindoor, particularly the precision and cost-effectiveness of its loitering munitions, has caught the attention of Cypriot defense planners. The Nagastra-1 and SkyStriker, priced significantly lower than traditional cruise missiles, offer Cyprus a means to counter Turkey’s drone-centric capabilities without straining its defense budget. The drones’ ability to operate in contested environments, as demonstrated against Pakistan’s electronic warfare measures, aligns with Cyprus’s need for systems resilient to Turkish jamming and air defenses. Moreover, the Harop’s nine-hour endurance and 1,000-km range, used effectively by India, provide a model for long-range precision strikes that could deter Turkish military assets in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Cyprus and India share robust bilateral relations, rooted in their Commonwealth membership and India’s support during Cyprus’s struggle for independence from British rule in 1960. The Indian military’s historical involvement in the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), including the service of three Indian generals, has fostered trust. The proposed sale of loitering munitions builds on recent defense engagements, such as the 2023 agreement for India to supply Cyprus with advanced surveillance systems. Modi’s visit, described on X as a “sales expo” for Indian defense products, signals a new phase of cooperation, with loitering munitions as a flagship offering.
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