During recent talks involving India and Moscow, New Delhi raised strong concerns with Poland over what it described as the “selective and unfair targeting” of India for its trade ties with Russia. India flagged the use of tariffs and other pressure tactics amid the ongoing Russia and Ukraine conflict.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar also cautioned Warsaw against extending any support directly or indirectly to Pakistan on issues related to cross-border terrorism.
What did Jaishankar say?
In his opening remarks, Jaishankar told Polish Deputy Prime Minister Radosław Sikorski:
“Deputy Prime Minister, you are no stranger to our region and are well aware of the long-standing challenges of cross-border terrorism. Poland should display zero tolerance for terrorism and should not help fuel terrorist infrastructure in our neighbourhood.”
Opening remarks during meeting with DPM & FM @sikorskiradek of Poland.
🇮🇳 🇵🇱 https://t.co/XVG4WhmFxY
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) January 19, 2026
He added that the meeting was taking place at a time of “considerable churn” globally, with security and regional issues high on the international agenda. The External Affairs Minister stressed the importance of exchanging views in light of the distinct challenges faced by India and Poland in their respective regions.
Jaishankar’s concerns over terrorism
Another pressing issue raised by the External Affairs Minister was cross-border terrorism, a long-standing concern for India. Addressing Sikorski, Jaishankar reiterated that the Polish leader was “no stranger to our region” and would be familiar with the challenges posed by terrorism emanating from across India’s borders.
He expressed hope that Poland would maintain “zero tolerance for terrorism” and stressed that it should not “help fuel the terrorist infrastructure in our neighbourhood”, a remark widely seen as a reference to Pakistan.
Talks on strategic partnership and trade
Discussions between the two sides also focused on strengthening bilateral ties. Jaishankar highlighted the rapid progress in India-Poland relations over the years, underscoring the growing strategic partnership.
Both sides agreed to review the 2024-28 action plan, which aims to deepen cooperation in trade, investment, defence, security, clean technology, and digital innovation.
Highlighting Poland’s economic importance, Jaishankar noted that it is among India’s largest trading partners in Central Europe. Bilateral trade currently stands at around $7 billion, nearly triple its level a decade ago, while Indian investments in Poland have exceeded $3 billion, generating jobs and opportunities for Polish workers.
“Our bilateral relationship has progressed steadily, but it nevertheless requires constant nurturing,” Jaishankar said, reflecting on the historic and people-to-people ties between the two countries.
India’s bold stand against terrorism
In recent years, India has intensified its diplomatic outreach to ensure that European countries and institutions remain mindful of Pakistan’s record on terror financing and providing safe havens to extremist groups. New Delhi’s message has been unambiguous: while India values its expanding partnership with Poland and the European Union, it expects its partners to adopt principled and consistent positions on terrorism.
