This visit comes in the wake of Ukraine’s criticism of Modi’s recent trip to Moscow, where he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, during that meeting, Modi refrained from condemning Russia, instead emphasising the need for a peaceful resolution to the ongoing war in Ukraine
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is currently visiting Poland for high-level discussions on security and trade before proceeding to Ukraine, where conflict with Russia, a strategic partner of India, continues.
During his visit to Warsaw on Thursday, Modi is scheduled to meet with Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk and President Andrzej Duda. The talks are expected to focus on regional security, particularly concerning the areas bordering Ukraine.
This visit comes in the wake of Ukraine’s criticism of Modi’s recent trip to Moscow, where he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin. During that meeting, Modi refrained from condemning Russia, instead emphasising the need for a peaceful resolution to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Poland, a member of NATO and the European Union, has been a strong supporter of Ukraine, providing political, humanitarian, and defense assistance in its struggle against Russian aggression. In a statement ahead of his visit, Modi highlighted Poland as India’s key economic partner in Central Europe.
Poland’s Foreign Minister, Władysław Teofil Bartoszewski, expressed hopes of signing a strategic partnership agreement with India, aiming to strengthen political and business ties, with a focus on cooperation in the IT, cybersecurity, and defense sectors. Modi’s visit also marks the 70th anniversary of official diplomatic relations between New Delhi and Warsaw, and it is the first visit by an Indian government leader to Poland in 45 years.
Bartoszewski noted that India understands Poland’s significant transformation since 1989, from being a Soviet satellite to a democratic nation.
Trade between India and Poland has seen significant growth over the past decade. According to the Indian Embassy, bilateral trade increased from $1.95 billion in 2013 to $5.72 billion in 2023, with India holding the majority of exports.
On Wednesday, Modi is expected to lay wreaths at two monuments in Warsaw that honor shared history during World War II. One monument pays tribute to the “Good Maharaja” Jam Sahib of Nawanagar, who sheltered around 1,000 Polish children evacuated from the Soviet Union to India between 1942 and 1946. The other monument commemorates the joint efforts in the 1944 Battle of Monte Cassino in Italy.
Modi also plans to meet with members of the Indian community in Poland during his visit. The last significant visit from an Indian leader to Poland was in 2009, when then-President Pratibha Patil visited the country. Donald Tusk, in his first term as prime minister, visited India in 2010.
On Friday, Modi will travel to Kyiv for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. This visit comes a month after Zelenskyy openly criticized Modi’s recent visit to Moscow, where the Indian leader met with Putin on the same day that Russian missiles struck several targets in Ukraine, causing numerous casualties. Zelenskyy described the meeting as a “huge disappointment and a devastating blow to peace efforts” and expressed his displeasure at Modi’s embrace of Putin during the encounter.
Throughout the conflict, India has maintained a neutral stance, avoiding direct condemnation of Russia’s actions and calling for dialogue and diplomacy as the means to resolve the crisis.
