Tusk India Visit: Poland Says Russia Must Stand Aside

Poland understands India’s longstanding relationship with Russia, including its historical defence ties and dependence on Russian-origin military equipment.

But Warsaw believes Moscow should not stand in the way of closer India-Poland cooperation, said Poland’s ambassador to India, Piotr Antoni Świtalski.

“Our starting point in our conversations with our Indian partners is: we agreed that Russia should not stand in the way of our dialogue, our cooperation, and our partnership. We leave it aside,” Świtalski said at an interactive session organised by the  Centre for Integrated and Holistic Studies.

He said Poland recognised the history behind India’s partnership with Moscow, including Soviet support during conflicts involving Pakistan and China, as well as longstanding educational and technological links.

At the same time, he pointed to the very different experiences India and Poland have had with Russia.

“For you, Russia is the source of cheap oil. For us, Russia is the source of threat,” he said, referring to recent Russian missile and drone incidents in Poland.

Świtalski said Poland was spending 5% of its GDP on defence because of the perceived Russian threat, while stressing that Warsaw did not seek confrontation.

“I don’t want now to speculate what are the plans of Russia concerning Poland and other neighbours, but at present they are not friendly, they are not peaceful, and that’s why we have to spend 5 per cent  of our GDP,” he said.

On Poland’s relations with Pakistan, Świtalski said Warsaw maintained diplomatic relations with Islamabad and had some economic interests there, but rejected any suggestion that Poland’s position was anti-India.

Responding to reports that Polish-made drones had been used against Pakistani infrastructure during the recent India-Pakistan conflict, he said some Polish drones had reportedly been shot down. He suggested, however, that they may have been unarmed training or decoy platforms.

He also highlighted Poland’s complicated history of involvement in South Asia. Polish pilots helped build Pakistan’s air force after Partition, while Polish tanks were used by the Indian Army during the liberation of Bangladesh. Poland was also among the first countries to recognise Bangladesh’s independence, he said.

“On the question of terrorism, we are on your side because we are a victim of terrorism,” Świtalski said, adding that Poland had openly supported India’s position on terrorism.

Warsaw wants to expand cooperation with India in technology, green industries, defence, aerospace, agriculture and education.

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“We do not see India simply as a market. We see you as a partner. We want to work together. We want to invest,” he said, adding that Polish companies had investment proposals worth billions of euros.

Świtalski also presented Poland as a potential “friendly gateway” for Indian companies seeking access to the European Union. He said perceptions of India in Poland had changed significantly.

“Now we can see the potential. We can see the modern face of India, a country of advanced technology, of very skilful people, human potential unbelievable,” he said. “I can tell you on behalf of my government, sky is the limit.”

Technology is a particular priority, with software development, cybersecurity and digital services among the areas identified for cooperation. Green technology, waste management, wastewater treatment and urban transport are also areas where Poland sees scope for joint projects.

Defence and aerospace are emerging as another area of cooperation. Świtalski said Poland was now one of NATO’s largest defence spenders, allocating 5% of GDP to defence, and saw India’s manufacturing scale as complementary to Polish technological capabilities.

“India is a very attractive partner because in some areas of defence production we are very advanced. And you have the scale,” he said.

The ambassador also said a large Indian company had expressed an intention to build a major ammunition factory in Poland, although he declined to name the company or provide details.

Meanwhile, Warsaw is preparing for a possible visit to India by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Świtalski said. He described the proposed visit as a continuation of political dialogue following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Poland in 2024, when the two countries established a strategic partnership.

According to the ambassador, a Tusk visit would send a strong signal to businesses and other partners about political support for deeper India-Poland cooperation.