Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday congratulated Nitin Nabin on his election as the Bharatiya Janata Party’s new national president, describing the 45-year-old leader as a representative of a generation that has seen India transform across decades.

Addressing party workers at the BJP headquarters after the formal announcement, PM Modi underlined the organisational culture of the party by saying that in matters related to the organisation, the newly elected president would be his superior.

“When it comes to party matters, Mananiya Nitin Nabin ji is my boss. I am a worker,” the prime minister said, drawing applause from the gathering.

BJP leadership transition after Sanghatan Parv

Nitin Nabin was elected as BJP national president at the conclusion of the Sanghatan Parv, a wide-ranging organisational exercise that involved elections from the booth level up to the national leadership.

PM Modi said that as party president, Nabin’s role would go beyond managing the BJP’s internal affairs and would include ensuring coordination among National Democratic Alliance partners.

PM Modi highlights generational shift

Describing Nabin as a “millennial,” PM Modi said the new party chief belongs to a generation that grew up listening to news on the radio and is now comfortable using artificial intelligence.

According to the prime minister, this combination of adaptability, youthful energy and experience would be an asset for the party’s future.

“Nitin ji has youthful energy along with rich organisational experience,” PM Modi said.

Tracing BJP’s organisational journey

The prime minister also reflected on the BJP’s growth over the years, recalling its journey under different leaders.

He said the party rose from modest beginnings under leaders such as Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lal Krishna Advani and Murali Manohar Joshi. In later years, leaders including M Venkaiah Naidu and Nitin Gadkari expanded the organisation further.

PM Modi noted that under Rajnath Singh’s leadership, the BJP secured a full majority at the Centre for the first time, while under Amit Shah, the party expanded its footprint across states and returned to power nationally for a second consecutive term.

He added that during JP Nadda’s tenure as president, the BJP strengthened its presence from panchayat-level bodies to Parliament.

India has conveyed strong concerns to Poland over what it described as “selective and unfair targeting” related to its trade ties with Russia amid the Ukraine war, while firmly cautioning Warsaw against extending any form of support to Pakistan on issues linked to cross-border terrorism.

The concerns were raised by external affairs minister S Jaishankar during talks with Polish deputy prime minister and foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski in New Delhi, where both sides reviewed the growing India-Poland strategic partnership and discussed key global and regional developments.

India-Poland strategic partnership review

Welcoming the Polish delegation, Jaishankar said the discussions were taking place at a time of major global uncertainty, making dialogue between countries from different regions essential. He noted that India and Poland had elevated their relationship to a strategic partnership during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Warsaw in August 2024.

The two sides reviewed the Action Plan 2024–28 and explored ways to expand cooperation in areas including trade, investment, defence, security, clean technologies and digital innovation.

India’s stand on Ukraine conflict

The Ukraine war figured prominently in the talks, with Jaishankar reiterating India’s position on the issue. He said he had candidly shared New Delhi’s views with Sikorski on several occasions and again underlined India’s objections during the New Delhi meeting.

Jaishankar stated that the selective targeting of India through tariffs and other pressure measures over its Moscow trade ties was unfair and unjustified. India has consistently maintained that it supports dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the conflict and opposes attempts to influence its independent foreign policy choices through selective pressure.

Warning on terrorism and Pakistan

Jaishankar also raised India’s long-standing concern over cross-border terrorism, stressing that Poland should adopt a zero-tolerance approach. He said Warsaw should not, directly or indirectly, contribute to the terrorist infrastructure in India’s neighbourhood, a remark widely seen as a reference to Pakistan.

India has intensified diplomatic outreach in Europe to ensure that partners remain mindful of Pakistan’s record on terrorism financing and safe havens for extremist groups. Jaishankar’s message underscored that New Delhi expects consistency and principle from its strategic partners on the issue.

The remarks were also viewed in the context of Poland’s statement on Kashmir during a bilateral visit to Islamabad in October 2025.

Poland echoes concern over selective pressure

Responding to India’s concerns, Sikorski said Poland agreed that selective targeting through tariffs was unfair and could disrupt global trade stability. Referring to incidents in his own country, he said Poland had faced acts of arson and attempted state terrorism, including attacks on railway infrastructure, and underlined the need to counter trans-border terrorism.

Growing economic ties

The meeting took place against the backdrop of expanding economic engagement between the two countries. Poland is among India’s key trading partners in Central Europe, with bilateral trade at around USD 7 billion and Indian investments exceeding USD 3 billion.

Both sides expressed confidence that the strategic partnership would continue to deepen, even as India used the dialogue to clearly articulate its red lines on geopolitical pressure and terrorism.

The Indian government on Friday said it is closely monitoring the evolving security situation in Iran and has advised Indian nationals currently in the country to leave using available means. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stressed that ensuring the safety and well-being of Indian citizens remains a priority.

Speaking during the weekly media briefing in New Delhi, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said approximately 9,000 Indians are presently residing in Iran, with students forming the majority of the community. He said the government has issued multiple advisories in response to recent developments.

“In light of the situation, we have advised Indian citizens in India not to travel to Iran at this time, and those currently residing there have been asked to leave the country by whatever means are available,” Jaiswal said.

The spokesperson added that the government is maintaining close vigilance over developments and is prepared to take necessary steps for the welfare of Indian nationals.

Embassy advisories and travel warnings

The Indian Embassy in Tehran has issued an advisory asking Indian citizens — including students, businesspersons, pilgrims and tourists — to depart Iran through available transport options, including commercial flights, citing the evolving security environment.

Separately, the MEA reiterated its advisory urging Indians to avoid travel to Iran until further notice. It also recalled an earlier warning issued on January 5, advising Indian nationals in Iran to remain cautious and refrain from participating in protests or demonstrations.

Indian citizens in Iran have been asked to keep essential travel and identification documents, including passports, readily accessible. Those living in the country on resident visas have also been advised to register with the Indian Embassy.

Protests and regional tensions

The advisories come against the backdrop of nationwide protests in Iran, which began at Tehran’s Grand Bazaar in late December following a sharp fall in the Iranian rial. The demonstrations later spread across the country amid mounting economic challenges, including inflation, unemployment, power outages and water shortages.

Regional tensions have also risen amid international warnings of possible military action if the situation escalates further. These developments have prompted several countries, including India, to review travel advisories and safety measures for their citizens in Iran.

India has maintained long-standing ties with Iran, though officials have indicated that recent international trade-related announcements linked to Tehran are expected to have a limited impact, given the relatively small share of bilateral trade in India’s overall commerce.