New Delhi, June 17 -- India and Cyprus on Monday agreed on measures to ramp up cooperation in defence, maritime security, trade, and counter-terrorism as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Nikos Christodoulides reiterated their support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of both countries. Modi's visit to Cyprus on his way to the G7 Summit in Canada was seen as a message to Turkey, which backed Pakistan in last month's clashes with India. Turkey is the only country to recognise the so-called Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, comprising a third of the Mediterranean island seized by Turkish forces in 1974, while India maintains ties with the Republic of Cyprus. Christodoulides and Modi, the first Indian premier to visit Cyprus in 23 years, visited the Green Line, the de facto border between the Republic of Cyprus and Northern Cyprus, marked by concrete-filled oil drums. Later, standing on a balcony, Christodoulides pointed out Northern Cyprus, with its flag inspired by the flag of Turkey painted on a hillside. Earlier, during their talks, Modi and Christodoulides focused on ways to strengthen ties between the two sides, including enhanced cooperation in defence, security, trade, technology, renewable energy, connectivity and tourism. "The friendship between India and Cyprus is neither made by circumstances, nor bound by boundaries.We respect each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity," Modi said at a joint media interaction, speaking in Hindi. He reiterated India's support for Cyprus's unity and a peaceful resolution of the "Cyprus Question" based on UN Security Council resolutions and international law. Christodoulides said he raised the people's desire to end Turkish occupation and thanked India for its support for Cyprus's territorial integrity. He said the two sides are united by a shared struggle for independence and people's self-determination, as well as their respect for international law and the UN Charter. He reiterated Cyprus's condemnation of the Pahalgam terror attack and said: "We have to fight all forms of terrorism, which is unacceptable. We support India's rights to defend your citizens." A joint declaration issued by the two sides said Cyprus expressed unwavering support for India's against cross-border terror. The two leaders reiterated their zero-tolerance approach to terror, and emphasised that those "responsible for the attacks should be held accountable," it said. The leaders called for disruption of terror financing networks, elimination of safe havens and dismantling of terrorist infrastructure. The National Payments Corporation of India and Eurobank of Cyprus have signed an MoU to introduce Unified Payments Interface services in Cyprus for cross-border transactions that will benefit tourists and businesses. This was one of the key business outcomes from Modi's visit to Cyrus, with the two sides agreeing on measures to ramp up cooperation in trade and investment. The NSE International Exchange at Gujarat's Gift City too signed an MoU with Cyprus Stock Exchange. Cyprus on Monday awarded the Order of Makarios III, one of the country's highest civilian honours, to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who described the award as a symbol of peace, security, sovereignty and territorial integrity. Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides conferred the Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III - the second highest of six grades of the award - on Modi at an official ceremony on the second day of his visit to the Mediterranean country. Modi dedicated the award to the friendship between the two countries. "I dedicate this award to friendly ties, shared values and mutual understanding between India and Cyprus," he said, speaking in Hindi. "This award is a symbol of peace, security, sovereignty and territorial integrity and our unbreakable commitment to our peoples' prosperity." Modi said he believed the active partnership between India and Cyprus will touch new heights in the coming days. "We will not only jointly strengthen the progress of our countries but will work together to build a peaceful and secure global environment," he said. He said the award is an honour for 1.4 billion Indians and their aspirations, and thanked Christodoulides and the government and people of Cyprus....