PM Modi-Tusk talks: India and Poland push for defence, space and trade ties as FTA opens new doors

What can India and Poland gain from getting closer? For Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, the answer stretches from defence equipment and space technology to trade, energy and a shared approach to global affairs. Their meeting in New Delhi on Thursday, October 22, put those ambitions at the centre of a relationship both leaders want to take beyond diplomatic goodwill.

Speaking at a joint press conference at Hyderabad House, PM Tusk said he was “proud that I can call PM Modi my friend”. He also stressed that India and Poland had no “conflict of interest”, underlining Warsaw’s interest in a stronger partnership with New Delhi.

What did Modi and Tusk agree on in New Delhi?

The two leaders held delegation-level talks to review bilateral relations and explore new areas of cooperation. The discussions reportedly focused on strengthening collaboration in defence, space exploration and nuclear energy. The leaders also witnessed the exchange of memoranda of understanding before addressing the media.

The talks followed PM Tusk’s arrival in India on October 21 for a three-day visit. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, his agenda also includes meetings with business stakeholders and participation in India-Poland Business Forums in New Delhi and Bengaluru. The visit comes at a time when both countries are looking to broaden cooperation in emerging technologies, renewable energy, investment and industrial partnerships.

How could the India-EU free trade agreement benefit Poland ties?

PM Modi said the India-European Union free trade agreement had widened the possibilities for economic cooperation between New Delhi and Warsaw. “Our growing economic strength has created new opportunities for the India-Poland partnership. And the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement has made these opportunities even broader,” he said.

The agreement could create additional avenues for companies seeking to expand trade and investment between India and Europe. For India and Poland, that could mean stronger commercial links, industrial partnerships and opportunities for businesses to work across markets.

Before the visit, Hindustan Times reported that trade, defence, space and technology were expected to feature prominently in the discussions. A large Polish business delegation accompanied PM Tusk, signalling that the economic agenda extends beyond government-to-government engagement.

Why are India and Poland calling their relationship strategic?

The two countries elevated their relationship to a Strategic Partnership during PM Modi’s visit to Poland in August 2024. That decision followed decades of diplomatic engagement and created a framework for closer cooperation across defence, security, trade, technology, education and culture.

PM Tusk’s current visit is particularly significant because it is the first by a Polish prime minister to India since 2010 in that capacity, according to the MEA’s visit briefing.

The two countries are also working under a Joint Action Plan for 2024–2028, intended to translate the partnership into practical cooperation.

What connects India and Poland beyond business?

PM Modi also invoked a historical bond that goes beyond trade and diplomacy. During the Second World War, the royal families of Jamnagar and Kolhapur provided shelter in India to Polish children and families displaced by the conflict. “The friendship between India and Poland is not based merely on diplomatic relations, but on the shared heritage of humanity and empathy,” PM Modi said.

Earlier on Thursday, PM Tusk paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat, while External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met the Polish leader to discuss closer cooperation across several areas.

What happens next in India-Poland relations?

PM Tusk is scheduled to travel to Bengaluru to engage with stakeholders from India’s information technology and space sectors, with a business forum also planned there.

The next challenge is to turn announcements and agreements into measurable outcomes: stronger trade, joint industrial projects and sustained collaboration in strategic sectors. The warmth between the two leaders may set the tone, but the real test of the partnership will be what businesses and institutions build from it.

(With inputs from ANI)