Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and Agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests
News: Modi to visit Poland next week, 1st Indian PM to do so post 1979.
India and Poland have shared various spheres of relations such as cultural, educational, trade, etc. Discuss.
India & Poland share a long-standing friendly relationship, marked by high level political contacts and vibrant economic engagement. Diplomatic relations were established in 1954, leading to the opening of the Indian Embassy in Warsaw in 1957.
- The two countries shared common ideological perceptions, based on their opposition to colonialism, imperialism and racism.
- During the Communist era, bilateral relations were close and cordial, with regular high level visits, coupled with planned trade and economic interactions by state trading organizations, underpinned by the rupee clearing arrangements.
Cultural and Educational Relations: Indology: There is a strong tradition of Indology studies in Poland, with Polish scholars having translated Sanskrit into Polish as early as in the 19th Century.
- Indology: Sanskrit was being studied at the 600 year old Jagiellonian University in Krakow (the oldest in Poland) in 1860-61, with a Chair of Sanskrit being established there in 1893.
- Poland has over a 100-year history of yoga. Currently, there are over 300,000 yoga practitioners in Poland, with about 1,000 yoga centers and 8,000 teachers propagating Yoga in Poland.
- Commemorating Indian leaders: A bust of Mahatma Gandhi has been placed in the library of University of Warsaw
Good Maharaja Connection: A monument, commemorating Jam Saheb Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji Jadeja of Nawanagar, was unveiled in October, 2014 at the Square of the Good Maharaja, Ochota District, Warsaw, Poland.
- Another plaque commemorating the Valivade-Kolhapur camp near the Monte Casino War Memorial was inaugurated in November 2017 in Warsaw. Eight Polish primary and secondary schools are named after Jam Saheb, known as ‘Good Maharaja’ in Poland.
Indian Community: Estimated at approximately 25,000, the Indian community in Poland consists of traders (textiles, garments and electronics) who came after the collapse of communism and professionals working with multinational and Indian companies and software/IT businesses.
Mining/energy sector: Poland possesses reputed clean coal technologies and Polish public sector companies have played a substantial role in development of mining and power sectors in India.
- Coal India Limited’s trainee engineers are already receiving training in Polish mines which specialize in intelligent mining. India and Poland signed a Memorandum of Understanding on 4 February 2019, in New Delhi to enhance bilateral cooperation in the coal and mining sector.
Agro-food Processing: The Polish capabilities and advanced technologies in the food processing industry is well recognized. Polish food processing companies and entrepreneurs could participate in the Mega Food Parks being set up in India. A JWG on Food Processing has been set up.
Textile Sector: Textile continues to be the largest segment in the Indian exports to Poland. Polish imports of textiles and textile articles from India have grown to US$ 645 million in 2023 marking a substantial growth over the last decade.
Economic and Trade relations: India and Poland transitioned to hard currency trading arrangements that were sustained by rising levels of trade as both economies grew in size and heft.
- A cordial political relationship has emerged in the current century, particularly after Poland joined the EU in 2004, and became India’s key economic partner in Central Europe.
Investment: Indian investment in Poland has been steadily growing over the years and is now estimated to be over US$ 3 billion.
- Indian companies are partners in the development of Poland and have created a substantial number of jobs locally, especially Indian IT companies which have invested in Poland and are estimated to employ nearly 10,000 Polish nationals.
- Indian companies operating in Poland include those of the IT and outsourcing sectors, such as Genpact, Infosys, KPIT-Info systems, HCL, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, L&T Tech and Zensar Technologies.
Poland, which was part of the Warsaw Pact, 1955, was close to the erstwhile USSR. However, ties with India went to the backburner after Communism fell, and Warsaw moved on to creating closer relations with the US. However, both countries maintained bilateral relations but not to the extent it was before in 1979.
India sees an opportunity to understand and learn from Poland’s defence push and ability to set up manufacturing policies. Both countries had different priorities and followed that. Still there were many fields that could be revived through frequent bilateral relations.