New Delhi [India], August 19 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be making official visits to Poland and Ukraine from August 21-23, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Monday.
The visit by Prime Minister Modi will be the first visit by an Indian PM to Poland in 45 years. The visit comes as New Delhi and Warsaw mark the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2024.
"PM Narendra Modi will be undertaking an official visit to Poland this week on 21st and 22nd August on the invitation of PM Donald Tusk. This is a landmark visit as the PM of Indian is visiting Poland after 45 years. This visit takes place as we also mark the 70th anniversary of the establishment of our diplomatic relations," MEA Secretary (West) Tanmaya Lal said at the special briefing on Monday.
"This historic visit in a landmark year for India and Polish relations will provide an opportunity to our leaders to review the bilateral relationship and offer guidance on enhancing this relationship in diverse areas and also discuss regional and global issues of mutual interest," he added.
The MEA further recalled the age-old ties between India and Poland highlighting how Poland assisted India in evacuating its students from Ukraine after conflict broke out in 2022. It also spoke about the episode from the 1940s when over 6000 Polish women and children were given refuge in princely states: Jamnagar and Kolhapur.
"Indian community in Poland estimated at around 25,000. This includes around 5,000 students. The government and people of Poland had offered valuable assistance during 'Operation Ganga' for the evacuation of Indian students from Ukraine. More than 4,000 Indian students were evacuated via Poland in 2022. One of the unique bonds between our countries relates to the time in the 1940s during World War 2 when more than 6,000 Polish women and children found refuge in two princely states in India - Jamnagar and Kolhapur," Tanmaya Lal said.
The MEA Secretary informed that PM Modi, during his visit will hold meetings with the Polish counterpart, President and will also interact with the India community there. He will also be accorded ceremonial welcome at Warsaw.
"There are long-standing cultural ties between India and Poland, there is respect for Indian culture and ethos including Yoga and Ayurveda. In Warsaw, Prime Minister Modi will be accorded a ceremonial welcome. In addition to talks with PM Donald Tusk, PM Modi will also call on President Andrzej Duda. Prime Minister Modi will interact with Indian community, business leaders, and prominent endologists," he further said.
Being asked about agreements in defence cooperation between the two nations, the MEA said, "The defence cooperation goes back a long time. We have an agreement on defence cooperation that was signed in 2003. This provides for consultations and a joint working format. India recently reopened the defence wing at the embassy in Warsaw."
Following the visit to Poland, PM Modi will head to Ukraine at the invitation of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. This will be first visit by Indian PM to Ukraine after the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1992.
" Prime Minister's engagements in Kyiv will touch a range of aspects of bilateral ties including political, trade, economic, investments, education, cultural, people-to-people exchanges, humanitarian assistance and others. Prime Minister will also interact with Indian community, including students during the visit. PM's landmark visit to Ukraine will help further consolidation and expansion of bilateral ties," the MEA stated in a release.
India and 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.
India and Poland established diplomatic relations in 1954, leading to the opening of the Indian Embassy in Warsaw in 1957 and the Polish Embassy in in New Delhi in 1954.
This year also marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Poland.
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