New Delhi, Nov 5: India and Poland have entered a new phase of bilateral relations, with both countries finding increasing common ground on global governance, international conflicts and geopolitical challenges, Polish Ambassador to India Piotr Antoni Switalski said on Thursday.
In an interview, Switalski described Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk's October visit to New Delhi as a major milestone in bilateral engagement, highlighting growing political understanding and unprecedented business participation from both countries.
He said the visit, which came two years after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's historic trip to Poland, had opened fresh avenues for cooperation and strengthened the strategic partnership between the two nations.
According to the Polish envoy, discussions between Modi and Tusk reflected a significant convergence of views on pressing international issues, including global governance, geopolitical tensions and ongoing conflicts.
Over 100 Polish Firms Join Business Engagement
Highlighting the economic significance of Tusk's visit, Switalski said business cooperation had emerged as one of the strongest outcomes of the high-level engagement.
Two major business forums were organised during the visit, one in New Delhi and another in Bengaluru. More than 100 Polish companies participated in the delegation, while nearly 200 Indian companies joined discussions on potential areas of collaboration.
The visit also resulted in the conclusion of 13 contracts, memoranda of understanding and letters of interest, marking an unprecedented level of business engagement in the history of India-Poland relations.
The ambassador said the scale of participation reflected growing confidence among businesses in both countries and signalled the beginning of a new phase of economic cooperation.
Poland Seeks India's Support for G20 Membership
Switalski also underlined the importance of India's backing for Poland's ambition to become a permanent member of the G20.
He said India's international influence and diplomatic standing made its support particularly valuable to Warsaw.
Referring to recent bilateral engagements at the ministerial level in Atlanta and the upcoming G20 Summit in Miami, the envoy expressed optimism about the prospects of closer cooperation between the two countries within the global economic grouping.
He said Poland and India could achieve significant progress by working together on international platforms.
Modi-Tusk Personal Chemistry Strengthens Partnership
The Polish ambassador also spoke about the warm personal rapport between Prime Minister Modi and his Polish counterpart, describing their interaction as particularly friendly and encouraging.
Recalling the October meeting, Switalski said Tusk had expressed deep appreciation for Modi's personal efforts to promote peace and stability amid growing international tensions.
He observed that the mutual warmth and trust between the two leaders had created a positive atmosphere for strengthening bilateral cooperation.
During their meeting at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, Modi and Tusk discussed expanding cooperation in critical minerals, defence, green technologies and artificial intelligence. They also exchanged views on important regional and global developments.
Poland Appreciates India's Peace Efforts on Russia-Ukraine Conflict
The Polish envoy particularly welcomed India's diplomatic initiatives aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict, describing New Delhi's efforts as useful and necessary.
He expressed gratitude for India's engagement with both sides, including its peace proposals and the partial ceasefire proposal, and said Poland strongly supported efforts to bring the conflict to an early end.
Switalski said both Poland and India wanted the war to conclude as soon as possible, acknowledging that achieving peace remained a difficult diplomatic challenge.
He added that Poland and other European countries greatly valued India's efforts to encourage dialogue and restore stability in Eastern Europe.
Modi a 'Beacon of Hope' for Global Peace: Envoy
Speaking about India's global leadership, Switalski described Prime Minister Modi as a 'beacon of hope', citing his personal commitment to peace and his ability to maintain constructive relations with countries holding differing geopolitical positions.
Quoting Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, the ambassador recalled that the latter had described being called a friend by Modi as a great honour.
Switalski said one of India's greatest diplomatic strengths was its ability to maintain friendly relations with countries across geopolitical divides and engage with different stakeholders.
He encouraged New Delhi to continue using its growing international influence to promote peace, strengthen multilateral cooperation and push for reforms in the global governance system.
The ambassador's remarks underline the growing diplomatic and economic significance of India-Poland relations at a time when both countries are seeking stronger international cooperation amid an increasingly complex geopolitical environment.
