New Delhi: India has conveyed strong reservations to Poland over what it described as selective and unfair pressure linked to New Delhi’s position on the Russia Ukraine conflict, while also cautioning Warsaw against any form of engagement with Pakistan on issues related to cross border terrorism.
The concerns were raised by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during talks with Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski in New Delhi. The meeting reviewed the expanding India Poland Strategic Partnership and included detailed discussions on regional and global developments amid what both sides described as a period of significant global uncertainty.
Jaishankar underlined that India has been repeatedly singled out through trade related measures and tariffs over its economic engagement with Moscow. He stressed that such targeting was unjustified and ran counter to the spirit of fair global trade. India, he reiterated, has consistently advocated dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the Ukraine conflict and has resisted pressure aimed at influencing its independent foreign policy decisions.
The minister noted that the partnership with Poland, elevated to a strategic level during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Warsaw in August 2024, would continue to focus on cooperation under the Action Plan 2024 to 2028. Key areas include trade, investment, defence collaboration, security, clean energy, digital innovation and emerging technologies.
A second major focus of the discussions was terrorism. Jaishankar emphasised India’s long standing concerns over cross border terrorism and urged Poland to adopt a clear zero tolerance approach. He stressed that no support, direct or indirect, should be extended to forces or infrastructures linked to terrorism in India’s neighbourhood, a reference widely understood to point towards Pakistan.
Poland, in response, acknowledged concerns over selective trade pressure and agreed that such practices could destabilise global markets. Sikorski also referred to security challenges faced by his own country, including acts of sabotage, and supported the need for strong international cooperation against transnational terrorism.
The dialogue took place against the backdrop of steadily growing economic ties. Poland remains one of India’s leading trade partners in Central Europe, with bilateral trade nearing USD 7 billion and Indian investments crossing USD 3 billion. Both sides expressed confidence that the partnership would deepen further, even as India firmly outlined its red lines on geopolitical pressure and terrorism.
Sorry, there was a YouTube error.
