'Cyprus Presidency of European Union Council' Dialogue in Ahmedabad Highlights New Momentum in EU-India Business Engagement

EICBI and Water & Shark jointly hosted a Special Policy & Business Dialogue in Ahmedabad on 27 April 2026 titled “The Cyprus Presidency of the European Union Council: Strengthening EU-India Strategic and Economic Partnerships.”

The engagement brought together diplomatic, business and professional stakeholders for a full day of dialogue centred on Cyprus’ strategic relevance in the India-Europe corridor and the growing importance of Europe-facing readiness for Indian businesses.

The central diplomatic interaction of the day featured H.E. Mr. Evagoras Vryonides, High Commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus to India, whose participation gave the programme a strong policy and international dimension.

Held at a significant moment in the wider EU-India relationship, the Ahmedabad engagement was designed not as a ceremonial exchange, but as a structured platform for discussion on trade, investment, regulatory cooperation and institutional collaboration.

H.E. Mr. Evagoras Vryonides being welcomed to the session.

Focus on Cyprus Presidency priorities

The morning session placed the spotlight on Cyprus Presidency priorities and the next phase of EU-India engagement.

The discussion explored how Cyprus, during its leadership role in the Council of the European Union, can be viewed by Indian businesses as a strategic point of access within the broader European landscape.

A key theme running through the conference was the practical importance of understanding Europe not only as a market, but also as a regulatory and institutional environment. In that context, the dialogue addressed trade, investment and regulatory cooperation with direct relevance for Indian companies looking to deepen their engagement with Europe.

The ceremonial lamp lit to mark the beginning of the session.

Strategic and regulatory perspectives

The policy and business dialogue featured strategic remarks by Mr. Sujit Nair, Chairman of EICBI and Senior Partner at Water & Shark, who spoke on the geopolitical and strategic outlook for India-Europe engagement, the policy significance of the Cyprus Presidency, and its implications for Indian business and institutions.

H.E. Mr. Evagoras Vryonides speaks on Cyprus as a strategic gateway for Indian businesses into Europe during its leadership of the Council of the European Union.

This was followed by legal and regulatory remarks from Advocate CA. Harsh Patel, Founder and Global CEO of Water & Shark, who addressed Europe-facing expansion considerations for Indian enterprises.

His intervention brought a practical lens to the discussion, connecting policy developments with the compliance and structural realities businesses must prepare for when approaching European markets.

The session also included a special address by CA. Rinkesh Shah, Chairman of the ICAI Ahmedabad Branch, further widening the institutional and professional dimension of the event. An open discussion, question-and-answer exchange and networking lunch gave participants an opportunity to engage more directly with the themes raised during the formal session.

In the picture: Mr. Sujit S. Nair, H.E. Mr. Evagoras Vryonides, and Mr. Harsh Patel.

From dialogue to institutional follow-up

Following the morning conference, the High Commissioner visited the Water & Shark office in Ahmedabad for a post-lunch interaction with the leadership team. This part of the programme focused on cross-border advisory, institutional engagement and follow-up collaboration themes emerging from the earlier discussions.

The office visit added a smaller-setting, working-level dimension to the day, helping translate broader strategic conversation into possible areas of ongoing cooperation. It also reflected the organisers’ effort to ensure that the engagement moved beyond formal speeches into more practical institutional follow-up.

ICAI session extends the conversation

The day concluded with an evening institutional session hosted by the ICAI Ahmedabad Branch.

The session focused on Europe-facing business opportunities, professional readiness and cross-border engagement, while continuing the day’s broader conversation on Cyprus, the European Union and India-Europe strategic partnerships.

The august audience that gathered for the session.

With speaking inputs from the High Commissioner, Sujit Nair and Harsh Patel, the evening programme helped bring the discussion to a wider professional audience.

Taken together, the Ahmedabad engagement showed how diplomatic outreach, business dialogue and professional forums can converge to create more structured and meaningful EU-India conversations — and why Cyprus is drawing increased attention in that evolving landscape.