Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived in Warsaw, marking the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Poland in 45 years. The visit, which is part of a two-nation tour, will also include a stop in Kyiv, Ukraine.
The last Indian Prime Minister to visit Poland was Morarji Desai in 1979. PM Modi received a ceremonial welcome upon his arrival in Warsaw, greeted warmly by the local Indian community, who cheered with “Modi, Modi” chants. He engaged with the crowd, shaking hands and acknowledging their presence.
During his visit, PM Modi paid tribute at a Warsaw memorial dedicated to the Polish women and children who sought refuge in the Indian princely states of Jamnagar and Kolhapur during World War II.
The Prime Minister is scheduled to meet with President Andrzej Sebastian Duda and hold talks with Prime Minister Donald Tusk. He will also address the Indian community in Poland, which numbers around 25,000, as well as Polish business leaders and prominent Indologists.
PM Modi previously met his Polish counterpart in his former role as President of the European Council and had a telephonic conversation with President Duda in March 2022, thanking him for Poland’s support in evacuating Indian citizens from Ukraine and for easing visa requirements for Indian nationals. Over 4,000 Indian students were evacuated through Poland in 2022.
“My visit to Poland marks 70 years of diplomatic relations between our countries. Poland is a significant economic partner in Central Europe,” PM Modi stated in his departure remarks.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), bilateral trade between India and Poland stands at approximately $6 billion, making Poland India’s largest trading partner in Central and Eastern Europe. Indian investments in Poland are around $3 billion, while Polish investments in India are about $1 billion. The economic ties are further strengthened by the presence of Indian companies in Poland across various sectors, and direct flights between the two countries, which began in 2019.
PM Modi will travel to Kyiv on August 23 for talks with President Volodymyr Zelensky.