India and Poland have upgraded their relationship to a strategic partnership. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Polish counterpart, Donald Tusk, discussed enhancing cooperation in defence, security, trade, investment, and digitalization. Modi’s visit to Poland marked the first time an Indian Prime Minister has travelled in 45 years, underscoring India’s interest in strengthening ties with the European Union’s sixth-largest economy and a growing military force in Central Europe.
In addition to creating a four-year action plan for the strategic partnership, which includes security cooperation, trade, technology, connectivity, counter-terrorism, cyber-security, and health, the two sides have also agreed to finalize a social security agreement. This agreement aims 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. We have decided to reshape our relationship into a strategic partnership on this occasion. Relations between India and Poland are based on shared values such as democracy and the rule of law,” PM Modi said during a media interaction after his talks with Tusk.
Modi described close cooperation in defence as a “symbol of our deep mutual trust” and said collaboration in this field would be strengthened. Tusk said there are many opportunities for genuine synergy between the two sides’ defence industries. “Poland is ready to participate in the modernization of military equipment. We have the qualifications, companies, and technological capabilities for this,” he said.
Under the strategic partnership, the two sides will play a crucial role in maintaining regular high-level contacts, stimulating trade and investment, and taking 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.
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 joint working group meeting for defence cooperation will be held this year.
The action plan states that the two sides will explore cooperation in high-tech, agri-tech, energy, green technologies, infrastructure, defence, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and mining at the next meeting of the Joint Commission for Economic Cooperation (JCEC), which is scheduled for the end of 2024.
Team BharatShakti
