New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has begun his two-nation visit today during which he will travel to Poland and war-torn Ukraine with the Ministry of External Affairs calling it a "landmark and historic" trip.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi leaving for Warsaw, Poland on Wednesday morning. (ANI) PM Modi will visit Poland from August 21 to 22 and later to Ukraine on August 23. This is the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Poland after 45 years. Then Prime Minister Moraji Desai visited Warsaw in 1979.
Ahead of his visit to the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, the Prime Minister Wednesday said he was looking forward to sharing perspectives with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict.
The visit assumes significance as it comes in the backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and at a time when the world is facing geopolitical challenges.
"Today, I am embarking on an Official visit to the Republic of Poland and Ukraine," PM Modi said in a statement issued Wednesday morning. "My visit to Poland comes as we mark 70 years of our diplomatic relations. Poland is a key economic partner in Central Europe. Our mutual commitment to democracy and pluralism further reinforces our relationship. I look forward to meeting my friend Prime Minister Donald Tusk and President Andrzej Duda to further advance our partnership. I will also engage with the members of the vibrant Indian community in Poland," he said.
"From Poland, I will be visiting Ukraine at the invitation of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. This is the first-ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Ukraine. I look forward to the opportunity to build upon earlier conversations with President Zelenskyy on strengthening bilateral cooperation and share perspectives on peaceful resolution of the ongoing Ukraine conflict. As a friend and partner, we hope for an early return of peace and stability in the region," the Prime Minister said.
He expressed confidence that the visit will serve as a natural continuation of extensive contacts with the two countries and help create the foundation for stronger and more vibrant relations in the years ahead.
PM Modi's visit to Ukraine is taking place amid Ukraine's fresh military offensive into Russian territory. Also, his visit comes weeks after he visited Russia which drew criticism from the US and its Western allies. Modi's July visit to Moscow came hours after a Russian barrage hit multiple cities across Ukraine, killing more than three dozen people and heavily damaging a children's hospital in Kyiv.
Modi was pictured hugging Putin at his country residence a day earlier, drawing condemnation from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. India and Russia have maintained close links since the Cold War, which saw the Kremlin become a key arms provider to the country.
The Secretary West in the Ministry of External Affairs Tanmaya Lal said that India has substantive and independent ties with Russia and Ukraine and these partnerships stand on their own.
This year, India and Poland mark the 70th anniversary of their diplomatic relations, originally established in 1954. This anniversary provides an opportunity to reflect on the growth and depth of their bilateral ties, which have expanded to include cooperation in sectors such as trade, investment, technology, and cultural exchange. Celebrations and events are expected to focus on enhancing these relations and exploring new areas of collaboration.
The Ministry of External Affairs said diplomatic relations between India and Poland were established in 1954, leading to the opening of the Indian Embassy in Warsaw in 1957 and the Polish Embassy in New Delhi in 1954. During WWII, between 1942 and 1948, over 6,000 Polish women and children found refuge in two princely states in India, Jamnagar and Kolhapur.
HH Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji Jadeja, the Jamsaheb of Nawanagar, provided shelter to over a thousand Polish children in his state. Many others found refuge in a giant camp in Kolhapur. The Polish State and those who spent their childhood in India have meticulously commemorated this connection. It is remembered as a touching link between India and Poland.
India & Poland share long-standing friendly relations, marked by high-level political contacts and vibrant economic engagement. The bilateral relations are wide-ranging and mutually beneficial. Poland is India’s key economic partner in Central Europe. Their shared and abiding commitment to the ideals of democracy and pluralism is only reinforced by their friendly ties.
High-level visits from India to Poland include Presidents V.V. Giri (1970), Zail Singh (1986), S.D. Sharma (1996) and Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru (1955), Indira Gandhi (1967) and Morarji Desai (1979). Vice President, Hamid Ansari (2017).
From the Polish side, high-level visits include Presidents Lech Walesa (1994 and 1998), Alexander Kwasniewski (1998), Prime Ministers Cyrankiewweicz (1957) and Jaroszewicz (1973), and Polish PM Leszek Miller (2003).
The last Prime Ministerial visit from India was in June 1979 (Morarji Desai), 45 years ago. The President of India, Pratibha Patil, visited Poland in April 2009, which was reciprocated by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk's visit to India in September 2010. EAM Dr S. Jaishankar visited Poland from 28-29 August 2019 after a gap of 32 years. The last visit by a Minister of External Affairs to Poland was in 1987.
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