Key Takeaways On Prime Minister Modi’s Poland, Ukraine Visits (Photo on X @narendramodi)
Prime Minister Modi’s recent trip to Poland and Ukraine has been hailed as India’s path-breaking steps towards building relationships beyond a handful of European nations. Narendra Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Ukraine at a time when the country is at war with Russia, a key ally of India.
The Indian leader’s Poland trip also became remarkable, as he earned the reputation to be the first Prime Minister to visit the European country in 45 years. The visits have reportedly set a fresh strategic partnership, trade and economic cooperations, boosting New Delhi’s influence in the Central European region.
Read Also: Russia’s Friend, Peacemaker In Ukraine?: On Prime Minister Modi’s Trip To Kyiv
Poland Visit: Key Takeaways
- Prime Minister Modi arrived in Poland on August 21, receiving a ceremonial welcome at the airport in Warsaw. Calling the host country a key economic partner of India in Central Europe, the Prime Minister said, “Our mutual commitment to democracy and pluralism further reinforces our relationship,” highlighting that he looks forward to advancing the partnership between the two countries.
- After the visit, the External Affairs Minister released a joint statement on a five-year action plan involving bilateral partnership in key areas, with a special focus on security and defense cooperation.
- The action plan also noted the cooperation opportunities in tech, agriculture, agri-tech, food-tech, energy, climate, green technologies, infrastructure, smart cities, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and mining. Counterterrorism and close interactions on cybersecurity have also been included in the bilateral partnership.
- The action plan has also mentioned the people-to-people ties, academic exchanges, and tourist flows, with two sides agreeing to work on all these aspects.
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- The Prime Minister’s visit to Ukraine at these complex times underscored India’s stance, asserting the country’s call for diplomacy and peace. While in Ukraine, Prime Minister Modi said, “We (India) are not neutral. From the very beginning, we have taken sides. And we have chosen the side of peace. We have come from the land of Buddha, where there is no place for war,” adding that he has come from the land of Mahatma Gandhi, who had given a message of peace to the entire world.
- The move is analyzed to be a diplomatic balancing act between Russia, a key friend of India, and Ukraine in connection with the ongoing war, as the South Asian country had been condemned by several western countries for refusing to obey the sections against Russia.
- The trip, however, also enhanced the strategic partnership, bilateral trade, and “continued military-technical cooperation,” according to the Ukraine President. A joint statement said that both leaders reiterated their readiness for further cooperation in upholding principles of international law.
- Notably, as India has been striving for a permanent membership in the United Nations Security Council, the Ukraine has assured its support while calling for comprehensive reform in the organization to reflect contemporary global realities.
- Both countries also discussed ways to expand bilateral trade and economic cooperation, which has been reportedly hit by the ongoing war in Ukraine.
