Poland’s PM Tusk eyes stronger defence industry ties with India as Modi visits

Indian PM Narendra Modi is visiting Warsaw en route to Kyiv, where he will ‘share perspectives’ on the peaceful resolution of the war

Reading Time:2 minutes

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (left) shakes hands with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk as he leaves the Chancellery of the Prime Minister in Warsaw. Photo: Reuters

Published: 7:50pm, 22 Aug 2024

Poland wants to deepen its cooperation with India in the defence industry, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Thursday, as Warsaw seeks to benefit from New Delhi’s drive to modernise its armed forces and diversify away from Russian suppliers.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting Warsaw en route to Kyiv, where he has said he will “share perspectives” on the peaceful resolution of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.

The trip follows Modi’s July 8-9 visit to Moscow which drew criticism from the US and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as it coincided with a lethal Russian strike on a children’s hospital in Kyiv.

“It is no coincidence that we talked about intensification in terms of the defence industry,” Tusk told a news conference alongside Modi in Warsaw. “We are ready as Poland to take part in the modernisation of military equipment.”

Poland has been one of Ukraine’s staunchest supporters since Russia’s 2022 invasion, while India has remained neutral.

04:28

‘I just want him back’: Indian national dies after reportedly being tricked into fighting for Russia

Nevertheless, cooperation concerning the defence industry was high on the agenda for the first visit to Warsaw by an Indian prime minister in 45 years, officials said.