New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to embark on a significant diplomatic tour, visiting Poland and Ukraine from August 21-22, marking a historic moment in India’s international relations. This will be the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Poland in 45 years, followed by a groundbreaking visit to war-torn Ukraine the first since diplomatic ties were established between the two nations in 1992.
PM Modi’s visit to Warsaw on August 21 will commence with a formal welcome ceremony, where he is scheduled to meet President Andrzej Sebastian Duda. He will engage in crucial bilateral discussions with Poland’s Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, focusing on enhancing political, economic, and cultural ties. In a gesture of solidarity, Modi will also meet members of the Indian community residing in Poland, strengthening the diaspora’s connection with their homeland.
Following his engagements in Poland, PM Modi will undertake a symbolic and strategic visit to Ukraine, where the discussions in Kyiv will encompass a broad range of issues, including political cooperation, trade and investment, education, culture, and humanitarian aid. The visit gains additional significance as it coincides with Ukraine’s ongoing military aggression into Russian territory. Modi’s presence in Kyiv comes just weeks after he visited Moscow, and faced criticism from the U.S. and its Western allies.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), in its announcement on August 23, described this visit as “important and historic,” emphasizing that it is the first time an Indian Prime Minister has visited Ukraine since establishing diplomatic relations 30 years ago. Sources indicate that the Prime Minister will travel from Poland to Kyiv by train, a journey that will take approximately 10 hours a route previously taken by several world leaders, including U.S. President Joe Biden, as a show of support for Ukraine during its ongoing conflict with Russia.
The Modi-Zelensky talks are expected to cover the entire spectrum of India-Ukraine relations, with a particular focus on sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure, pharmaceuticals, health, education, and defense. The MEA also highlighted India’s readiness to seek a peaceful resolution to the conflict and contribute to Ukraine’s reconstruction efforts.
PM Modi’s diplomatic mission to Ukraine underscores India’s evolving role on the global stage, balancing its relationships with both Eastern and Western powers amid one of the most complex geopolitical crises in recent history.
