India-Poland relations enter new phase as both sides seek stronger defence and counter-terrorism cooperation.
Poland PM Donald Tusk (L) with India PM Narendra Modi (R).
Poland Prime Minister Donald Tusk India Visit: India and Poland have agreed to deepen their strategic partnership, placing greater emphasis on defence manufacturing, military engagement, cybersecurity and counter-terrorism as the two countries seek to respond to a changing international security environment.
The commitments were outlined in a joint statement issued after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk during his official visit to India from 21 to 23 October 2026. The visit, accompanied by a high-level delegation that included around 100 business leaders and industry representatives, provided an opportunity to expand cooperation across defence, trade, technology and international security.
A central outcome was the proposal to establish a Defence Industry Dialogue, designed to bring Indian and Polish defence companies closer together and identify opportunities for technology partnerships, joint development and co-production. The two governments also agreed to maintain regular exchanges between their defence establishments and work towards an agreement on the mutual protection and exchange of classified information.
These steps build on the strategic partnership established in August 2024 and the India-Poland Action Plan for 2024-2028. They also reflect the growing importance of cooperation between India and European countries as security concerns, technological competition and the war in Ukraine reshape defence priorities.
Why defence cooperation matters to India and Poland
India and Poland occupy different geographical positions and have distinct security priorities, but both have reasons to expand their defence relationship.
India faces security challenges along its land borders and across the wider Indian Ocean region. Its defence policy places considerable emphasis on military modernisation, strengthening domestic manufacturing and reducing excessive dependence on foreign suppliers for critical equipment and technologies.
Poland, meanwhile, occupies a strategically important position in Central and Eastern Europe, close to Ukraine and Belarus. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has heightened security concerns across the region and reinforced Poland’s focus on military preparedness, defence investment and the resilience of European security arrangements.
These differing requirements could create opportunities for industrial cooperation. India offers a large defence market and an expanding manufacturing ecosystem, while Poland brings experience in European defence production and access to industrial networks across Central and Eastern Europe.
The joint statement does not announce a specific weapons purchase or a major arms deal. Instead, it establishes a framework for exploring mutually beneficial cooperation, with an emphasis on identifying commercially viable projects and strengthening links between defence companies.
The significance lies in the potential to move the relationship beyond diplomatic engagement towards more structured industrial collaboration.
Proposed Defence Industry Dialogue: what could it achieve?
The proposed Defence Industry Dialogue is one of the most important defence-related outcomes of the visit.
According to the joint statement, the mechanism is intended to develop a forward-looking framework for cooperation between the two countries’ defence industries. It would encourage business-to-business engagement and explore technology partnerships, co-development, co-production and other forms of industrial collaboration where both sides agree.
Each of these areas has a distinct purpose.
Technology partnerships can allow companies to share expertise or work together on selected technical capabilities. Co-development involves jointly designing or developing equipment, systems or technologies. Co-production allows participating companies to manufacture products or components through an agreed industrial arrangement.
For India, such cooperation could support its wider objective of building domestic defence manufacturing capacity, developing advanced technologies and expanding the role of Indian companies in global supply chains.
For Poland, partnerships with Indian firms could provide access to a major defence market and opportunities to expand industrial relationships beyond Europe.
However, the proposed dialogue remains a framework for identifying opportunities. The joint statement does not specify which weapons systems, companies or technologies would be involved, nor does it announce agreed production targets or contracts. The practical impact will depend on subsequent discussions, commercial negotiations and the ability of companies to reach agreements.
Building on existing military engagement
The two countries are also seeking to strengthen cooperation between their defence establishments.
The joint statement welcomed the outcomes of the eighth meeting of the India-Poland Joint Working Group on Defence, held in Warsaw in September 2026. Both governments agreed to maintain regular exchanges, providing an institutional channel through which officials can discuss priorities and assess areas for closer cooperation.
Such mechanisms matter because defence partnerships require sustained engagement beyond high-level visits. Governments and military establishments need to identify common requirements, understand each other’s procurement procedures and address regulatory or technical barriers before major industrial projects can proceed.
Regular dialogue can also help create a clearer picture of each country’s capabilities and requirements, potentially making it easier for defence companies to identify areas where cooperation is practical.
The statement, however, does not announce a new joint military exercise, a mutual defence commitment or an agreement to deploy forces together. Its emphasis is on institutional engagement and industrial collaboration rather than the creation of a formal military alliance.
For India, this approach allows it to broaden defence partnerships while retaining its strategic autonomy. For Poland, it offers an opportunity to develop closer defence links with a major Asian power.
India-Poland relations enter new phase as both sides seek stronger defence and counter-terrorism cooperation.
Classified information and cybersecurity take centre stage
Another important outcome is the shared expectation that an Agreement on Mutual Protection and Exchange of Classified Information will be signed soon.
Classified information agreements establish rules for protecting sensitive material shared between governments or authorised organisations. In defence cooperation, such arrangements can be important when companies and officials need to exchange technical documents, discuss sensitive capabilities or work on projects involving confidential information.
Without suitable safeguards, the exchange of sensitive information can be restricted, complicating industrial collaboration.
The proposed agreement could therefore help establish the conditions required for more ambitious defence partnerships. Its importance may increase if the two countries move towards joint development or production projects involving advanced military technologies.
The leaders also highlighted cybersecurity, defence innovation and critical and emerging technologies as areas for closer cooperation.
These fields are increasingly important to modern military capabilities. Cybersecurity protects networks, communications and sensitive information from digital threats, while defence innovation can involve technologies that improve surveillance, communications, data processing and operational effectiveness.
The joint statement links this cooperation to the broader objective of improving technological resilience and strengthening India-EU security and defence relations.
India-EU security partnership adds another dimension
India and Poland’s defence relationship is also developing within a wider framework of engagement between India and the European Union.
The leaders welcomed the India-EU Security and Defence Partnership signed in January 2026. This provides an additional context for cooperation on security matters and emerging technologies.
Poland’s position within the European Union gives it a potential role in connecting Indian companies and institutions with European industrial and technological networks. India, meanwhile, offers European partners a major market, a substantial industrial base and experience in developing defence capabilities suited to its own strategic requirements.
The bilateral relationship can therefore complement broader India-EU cooperation, although it will not automatically remove differences in procurement rules, technology-transfer requirements or export controls.
Turning political commitments into practical outcomes will require governments and companies to establish clear priorities and agree on projects that offer tangible benefits to both sides.
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India Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Counter-terrorism and the wider security agenda
Beyond defence manufacturing, India and Poland have agreed to establish a dialogue on counter-terrorism.
The leaders condemned terrorism and violent extremism in all their forms, including cross-border terrorism, and called for coordinated action against terrorist groups, safe havens, infrastructure and financing networks.
They also condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on 22 April 2025, and called for the early adoption of the proposed Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism at the United Nations.
A dedicated dialogue could provide a channel for the two governments to exchange views and explore cooperation on areas of shared concern. The statement, however, does not specify a detailed programme, timetable or operational arrangements for the proposed mechanism.
The broader security agenda also includes the war in Ukraine, maritime security and the Indo-Pacific. Both governments expressed concern over the humanitarian consequences of the Ukraine conflict and supported a comprehensive, just and lasting peace consistent with international law and the UN Charter.
They also highlighted the importance of freedom of navigation, respect for international maritime law and cooperation to protect critical infrastructure and supply chains.
India invited Poland to join the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative, signalling an interest in broadening Polish engagement with maritime security issues beyond Europe.
Trade and technology could support the defence relationship
Defence cooperation is part of a broader effort to expand economic relations. The two leaders set a target of doubling bilateral trade by 2030 and encouraged companies to explore opportunities in sectors including industrial machinery, defence, pharmaceuticals, infrastructure, energy, mining and critical minerals.
They also identified potential cooperation in artificial intelligence, semiconductors, quantum technologies and space.
These sectors can have relevance for defence as well as civilian industry. Semiconductor capabilities underpin modern electronics, communications and computing, while advances in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity can support a range of military and security applications.
The two countries also see opportunities in critical minerals and recycling, including battery recovery and rare earth processing. These industries are relevant to the resilience of advanced manufacturing supply chains, although the joint statement does not identify specific defence projects arising from these proposals.
The broader economic agenda could help create a commercial foundation for industrial partnerships, particularly if businesses can establish long-term relationships and identify projects that are financially viable.
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From strategic intent to practical cooperation
The latest commitments mark a further step in the development of India-Poland relations following the elevation of the partnership in 2024. Defence industry cooperation, classified information protection, cybersecurity and counter-terrorism now feature prominently in the bilateral security agenda.
The proposed Defence Industry Dialogue is particularly significant because it offers a mechanism for turning political intent into commercial and technological cooperation. Yet the next phase will be crucial: neither the dialogue nor the other commitments automatically guarantees contracts, technology transfers or joint production.
Progress will depend on identifying specific projects, aligning industrial requirements and establishing the legal and commercial arrangements needed to carry them forward.
For India, closer engagement with Poland could support defence manufacturing ambitions and diversify its network of European partners. For Poland, it could open new opportunities in a large Asian market while strengthening ties with a country that is increasingly important to international security and trade.
The immediate outcome is a stronger institutional framework rather than a dramatic shift in military alignment. Over time, however, sustained engagement could give the India-Poland strategic partnership a more substantial defence and security dimension, linking industrial cooperation with shared interests in technological resilience, counter-terrorism and a stable international order.
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