Polish Foreign Minister Sikorski’s India visit featured an unusually tense exchange with counterpart Jaishankar over Poland’s improved relations with Pakistan.
Sharp Exchange During Delhi Meeting
During his visit to India, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski met with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. According to Indian newspaper The Hindu, the conversation in New Delhi resulted in a “clash” between the two politicians.
Jaishankar addressed Poland’s renewed relations with Pakistan, stating that India expects its partners not to “fuel” terrorism in the region. He reminded Sikorski of his past reporting on the war in Afghanistan and time spent in Pakistan, saying: “Therefore, this region is not unfamiliar to you and you certainly know the phenomenon of cross-border terrorism.”
Poland’s Pakistan Visit Provokes India
Jaishankar specifically mentioned Sikorski’s recent trip to the region, referring to the Polish foreign minister’s visit to Pakistan in October of last year. The newspaper described that this visit “apparently irritated the Indian government, as it took place several months after the May Indo-Pakistani conflict.”
Trade Disagreements Added to Tensions
According to The Hindu, Jaishankar also delivered a “sharp message” regarding European Union sanctions against India’s trade and import of Russian oil, calling them “selective strikes.”
After the meeting, Sikorski told journalists that the conversation was “frank” and noted that both sides agree on the threats related to terrorism. However, he added: “We also have our own concerns. India participated in the Zapad-2025 military exercises, which we consider dangerous.”
The newspaper emphasized that “the exchange of sharp positions between Delhi and Warsaw was considered unusual, taking into account the fact that relations between the countries have improved in recent years, and India and the European Union are close to concluding an important trade agreement next week.”