Warsaw [Poland], September 5 (ANI): Highlighting the rapid expansion of the India-Poland Strategic Partnership, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday said that New Delhi and Warsaw are working on new agreements across cybersecurity, space, clean coal, classified information, and critical minerals.
Addressing the press alongside Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, Jaishankar reviewed the Action Plan agreed upon during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Poland, characterising the bilateral progress as highly encouraging.
“Today, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sikorski and I reviewed the Action Plan that was agreed upon when Prime Minister Modi visited Poland two years ago. The report card that we got was a very solid one, indicating an uptick in trade and investments, deeper defence collaboration, expansion in traditional areas like mining and energy, as well as new possibilities emerging in space, digital, AI and innovation,” Jaishankar stated.
Turning to institutional integration with the European continent, Jaishankar noted that Poland plays a vital role in India’s expanding engagement with the European Union and the negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement.
“In the last few years, India’s ties with the European Union have deepened very visibly,” Jaishankar said. “The centrepiece of that is of course the free trade agreement, which President Ursula Von Der Leyen described as the mother of all deals. This will open up immense economic opportunities to both nations. As a key member of the European Union, Poland naturally stands to gain in that process.”
Jaishankar further linked the India-EU trajectory to broader structural changes in global governance and multi-polarity.
“The world is moving towards increasing multi-polarity as we focus on de-risking and diversifying,” Jaishankar stated. “India considers the European Union to be an important pole and our growing relationship is a notable part of the global restructuring that is underway. We are confident that Poland’s voice and Poland’s influence within the EU will encourage this trend.”
Jaishankar further emphasised that both nations are actively structuring new inter-governmental frameworks to further strengthen institutional ties.
“Where mechanisms are concerned, our Foreign Office Consultations were held recently, the Joint Commission has met and as you heard from the Deputy Prime Minister, the defence working group will be doing so soon,” Jaishankar said. “We are working on agreements in many other domains including cyber security, space, clean coal, classified information, critical minerals, etc. And I am confident that they will add both texture and substance to our ties.”
On cultural and youth connections, Jaishankar announced that the second edition of the Jamsaheb Memorial Youth Exchange Programme will take place in October, expressing appreciation for Indology and Sanskrit programmes in Polish universities.
On global and regional conflicts, Jaishankar, having arrived in Warsaw directly from Kyiv, reiterated India’s firm stance on the ongoing hostilities in Eastern Europe.
“India believes that endless war must give way to an end to war. These are wars without winners. Every additional day means more death, more destruction, more loss to the parties themselves, and more cost to the rest of the world. This concern was voiced publicly by Prime Minister Modi recently. Our efforts must therefore focus on promoting dialogue and diplomacy. We must each do what we can, in whichever way we believe would be most effective. And support the efforts of others to bring this conflict to an end. This is India’s strong conviction and we are acting on it,” Jaishankar said.
Jaishankar added that discussions also covered developments in the Gulf, West Asia/Middle East, and the Indo-Pacific, warning against the cascading impact of regional instability on global supply chains and economic security.
“The world is today grappling not only with multiple wars but also serious challenges of food, fuel and fertilizer availability,” Jaishankar noted. “Supply chain resilience is an independent but added concern. As political democracies, market economies and open societies, India and Poland can cooperate to shape the direction of many important global debates.”
Earlier, Jaishankar called on Polish President Karol Nawrocki and held extensive delegation-level talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski in Warsaw.
The discussions focused on strengthening the India-Poland Strategic Partnership and addressed key global conflicts and emerging geopolitical challenges.
With Sikorski, Jaishankar reviewed the implementation of the India-Poland Joint Action Plan 2024–28 across sector-specific areas. (ANI)
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