India and Poland on Thursday elevated their relations to a strategic partnership as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Polish counterpart Donald Tusk explored ways to expand cooperation in defence and security, trade and investment and digitalisation.
Modi was the first Indian premier to travel to Poland in 45 years, and the visit signalled India’s intention to revitalise ties with the sixth largest economy in the European Union (EU) and a rising military power in Central Europe.
Besides drawing up a four-year action plan for the strategic partnership that encompasses security cooperation, trade, technology, connectivity, counter-terrorism, cyber-security and health, the two sides decided to finalise a social security agreement to protect the interests of professionals working in each other’s countries and to promote mobility.
“This year, we celebrate 70 years of diplomatic relations. On this occasion, we have decided to reshape our relation into a strategic partnership. Relations between India and Poland are based on shared values such as democracy and rule of law,” Modi told a media interaction after his talks with Tusk, speaking in Hindi.
Tusk said the upgrading of ties was not about just the definition but about the “determination and readiness to cooperate across many fields”. Besides India, Poland’s other strategic partners in Asia are China, Japan and South Korea.
Modi described close cooperation in defence as a “symbol of our deep mutual trust” and said collaboration in this field will be strengthened. Tusk said there are many opportunities for genuine synergy between defence industries of the two sides. “Poland is ready to participate in the modernisation of military equipment. We have the qualifications, companies and technological capabilities for this,” he said.
Modi invited companies from Poland, a world leader in food processing, to join mega food parks in India and pointed to new opportunities for cooperation in water treatment, solid waste management and urban infrastructure. Clean coal technology, renewable energy and AI can be other areas for collaboration, he said.
At the same time, India can share its expertise in fintech, pharmaceuticals and space, Modi said. Poland, Tusk said, has a lot to offer to India in the fields of green transformation and green energy.
As Modi expressed understanding regarding temporary difficulties faced by Indian citizens intending to travel to Poland, the Polish side said this problem is not limited to India and was caused by the “ill-considered decisions” of the previous government. Work is underway to ease visa regulations.
“Thank you for understanding these actions. They are, of course, not in any way aimed at India or Indian citizens. Here we have the full sense that Indian guests will always be welcome in Poland,” Tusk said.
Under the strategic partnership, the two sides will maintain regular high-level contacts, stimulate trade and investment and take steps to balance two-way trade and expand the trade basket. Bilateral trade is currently worth $6 billion, making Poland India’s largest trade partner in Central Europe.
The two sides reiterated their commitment to peace and a rules-based international order and agreed cooperation in security is “vital during serious conflicts and tensions in various regions of the world”, according to a joint statement. They decided to enhance collaboration at multilateral forums to help maintain global stability and security.
Tusk and Modi expressed their “deepest concern” at the war in Ukraine and its “tragic humanitarian consequences”. They reiterated the need for a “comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in line with international law, consistent with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, including respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity”, the joint statement said.
“In the context of this war, they shared the view that the use, or threat of use, of nuclear weapons is unacceptable,” the joint statement said, adding all states “must refrain from the threat of or use of force against the territorial integrity and sovereignty or political independence of any state”.
The two leaders condemned all forms of terrorism and “emphasised that no country should provide a safe haven to those who finance, plan, support or commit terrorist acts”.
According to the action plan for the strategic partnership, institutions from the two sides will hold regular consultations on security and defence cooperation to promote contacts between defence industries and modernise military equipment. The next meeting of the joint working group for defence cooperation will be held in 2024.
The action plan said the two sides will explore cooperation in hi-tech, agri-tech, energy, green technologies, infrastructure, defence, healthcare, pharmaceuticals and mining at the next meeting of the Joint Commission for Economic Cooperation (JCEC) scheduled for the end of 2024.
Modi also met Polish President Andrzej Duda at Belweder Palace in Warsaw and discussed bilateral relations and regional and global issues, including the conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia. Modi expressed gratitude for Poland’s “invaluable and timely” assistance in evacuating Indian citizens from Ukraine.
He also held separate meetings with Gawel Lopinski, CEO of Billenium Pvt Ltd, a Polish IT company with a presence in Pune, Alina Posluszny, the managing director of TZMO India, a manufacturer of diversified hygiene products, a group of prominent Polish Indologists, and Kabaddi Federation of Poland president Michal Spiczko and board member Anna Kalbarczyk.
Aisha Patel is a dedicated Indian correspondent with a deep understanding of the nation’s diverse affairs. With a background in Indian culture, politics, and current events, she provides in-depth analysis and timely reporting on domestic issues within India.
