Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia are a matter of deep concern for the world. Additionally, India firmly believes that no problem can be solved on the battlefield.
Addressing a press meeting with Poland Prime Minister Donald Tusk, PM Modi asserted that the loss of innocent lives in any crisis has become the biggest challenge for the entire humanity. India supports dialogue and diplomacy for the early restoration of peace and stability, he added.
“For this, India is ready to provide all possible cooperation along with its friendly countries”, he said. Poland has a very old and rich tradition of Indology and Sanskrit, PM Modi said. He further said that a strong foundation of our relations has been laid by a deep interest in Indian civilization and languages.
He mentioned his visit to the memorial of Maharaja of Kolhapur which is a direct and living example of India and Poland’s deep people-to-people ties. He said he was happy that even today the people of Poland respect Maharaja’s philanthropy and generosity.
To immortalize his memory, India is going to start the Jam Saheb Nawanagar Youth Action Program between India and Poland, he emphasised. Every year, 20 young people from Poland will be taken on a visit to India, he added.
The Prime Minister expressed his gratitude to Poland for the warm welcome, gracious hospitality, and friendly words in the beautiful city of Warsaw. Today is a crucial day in the relations between India and Poland, today, after 45 year any Indian PM has visited Poland, he said.
In a joint press conference in Warsaw, he said the generosity that Poland showed to rescue Indian students during the Ukraine conflict in 2022, Indians will never forget that. Asserting that he said, “We are celebrating the 70th anniversary of our diplomatic relations; on this occasion, we have decided to transform the relations into a strategic partnership.” The relations between India and Poland are based on shared values like democracy and rule of law, PM Modi said.
Speaking at the meeting after PM Modi, Poland PM Tusk said his country has decided to take its relations to the level of strategic partnership. He emphasised that this is not just a definition, not mere words. It is a resolution for mutual cooperation in various areas behind this, Poland PM said.
Tusk said the Indian Prime Minister confirmed his willingness that he is ready a for peaceful, rightful, and immediate end to war. Tusk added Poland believes that India can play an essential and very constructive role. “So, this announcement is very important for us. PM, in 10 hours you will visit Ukraine. We believe that your visit to Ukraine will be historic”, the Poland PM said.
PM Modi said he took stock of the full range of India-Poland relations. “We are particularly keen to deepen linkages in areas such as food processing, urban infrastructure, renewable energy, and AI”, he asserted in a post on X.