Jaishankar Warns Poland Against Aiding Terror Infra

Jaishankar’s comments came in the backdrop of Sikorski’s visit to Pakistan three months ago, following Operation Sindoor last year. The external affairs minister had earlier indicated that the issue would be raised during the discussions.

Addressing the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Jaishankar said the “selective targeting of India is both unfair and unjustified”. He noted that he had candidly conveyed India’s position to the Polish leadership on multiple occasions, including meetings in New York last September and in Paris earlier this year. The remarks were made amid concerns over what India sees as European double standards, with some European Union member states continuing to buy Russian energy while pressing India to cut its oil imports from Russia.

In his opening remarks, Jaishankar said Poland was familiar with the challenge of cross-border terrorism and reiterated that countries must not contribute, directly or indirectly, to sustaining such networks. When Sikorski said he “completely agrees” that India should not be selectively targeted by sanctions, the external affairs minister responded that such targeting was not limited to tariffs and extended to other areas as well.

Following the talks, Jaishankar said on X that the meeting provided an opportunity for an open exchange on bilateral ties and global developments. He said discussions covered cooperation in economic engagement, technology, defence, mining, people-to-people exchanges and multilateral forums, and welcomed Poland’s support for stronger India–EU relations.

On bilateral relations, the EAM said India and Poland enjoyed traditionally warm ties that had progressed steadily in recent years through high-level political exchanges and growing economic and people-to-people engagement. He recalled that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Poland in August 2024 elevated the relationship to a Strategic Partnership. The two sides reviewed the Action Plan 2024–28 and discussed expanding cooperation in trade, investment, defence and security, clean technologies and digital innovation.

Mr. Jaishankar said Poland is among India’s largest trading partners in Central Europe, with bilateral trade at about $7 billion, registering nearly 200 per cent growth over the past decade. Indian investment in Poland has crossed $3 billion, generating employment opportunities. He also underlined the potential for deeper cultural ties, citing the legacy of the ‘Dobry Maharaj’, the popularity of yoga in Poland, and the continued growth of Indology studies.