Lodz: European Parliament member Dariusz Jonski called Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming visit to Poland "very important" due to politics and business. He noted that the Indian PM is visiting Poland after 45 years.

PM Modi will be making official visits to Poland and Ukraine from August 21-23, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Monday. His visit will be the first visit by an Indian PM to Poland in 45 years. The visit comes as New Delhi and Warsaw mark the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2024.

Speaking to ANI, he said that Poland would like to talk about healthcare as it requires 25,000 doctors and specialists. He stated that Poland would like to discuss IT sector and would like to collaborate with Indian companies. He stressed that PM Modi's visit will bring two nations closer.

On PM Modi's upcoming visit to India stated, "Prime Minister Modi is coming to Poland after 45 years, I was born 79. So it's very important this visit for us and today I would like to thank for this visit. It's very important for us because of politics and business. Yes, we have lot a lot of Indian company in the center of Poland, our region, my region,...it's about 5,000 people from India are living here. So we would like to talk about flight direction because it's only once a day Poland-India and India-Poland."

"We would like to talk about health care because we right now need about 25,000 doctors and specialists. So if some doctors and specialists would like to learn a Polish language and pass the exams. We would would like to talk about Poland and work here. We would like to talk about IT sector because Poland is the top five and would like to cooperate with Indian companies. So there's a lot of issues to cooperate and I think that this visiting closer and we will be do the business and politics the best and together, he added.

Asked whether they will be relaxation in visas for doctors, he responded, "We have a lot of school in Poland. If somebody wants to come here to learn Polish languages and pass the exams doctors and nurses and specialists in healthcare, it's absolutely positive and absolutely can do it. So, a lot of people from all the world were coming to Poland and and learn our Polish language and get a job here. But, language is very important for us in the health care."

PM Modi will be visiting Poland on August 21-22 at the invitation of his Polish counterpart Donald Tusk. MEA Secretary (West) Tanmaya Lal called this a "landmark visit" as it is the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Poland after 45 years.

While addressing a special briefing on Monday, Tanmaya Lal said, "PM Narendra Modi will be undertaking an official visit to Poland this week on 21st and 22nd August on the invitation of PM Donald Tusk. This is a landmark visit as the PM of Indian is visiting Poland after 45 years. This visit takes place as we also mark the 70th anniversary of the establishment of our diplomatic relations."

"This historic visit in a landmark year for India and Polish relations will provide an opportunity to our leaders to review the bilateral relationship and offer guidance on enhancing this relationship in diverse areas and also discuss regional and global issues of mutual interest," he added.

He recalled the age-old ties between India and Poland, highlighting how Poland assisted India in evacuating its students from Ukraine after conflict broke out in 2022. He also spoke about the episode from the 1940s, when over 6000 Polish women and children were given refuge in princely states: Jamnagar and Kolhapur.

"Indian community in Poland estimated at around 25,000. This includes around 5,000 students. The government and people of Poland had offered valuable assistance during 'Operation Ganga' for the evacuation of Indian students from Ukraine. More than 4,000 Indian students were evacuated via Poland in 2022. One of the unique bonds between our countries relates to the time in the 1940s during World War 2 when more than 6,000 Polish women and children found refuge in two princely states in India - Jamnagar and Kolhapur," Tanmaya Lal said.

The MEA Secretary stated that PM Modi, during his visit, will hold meetings with his Polish counterpart, President and will also interact with the Indian community there. He will also be accorded a ceremonial welcome at Warsaw. After concluding his visit to Poland, PM Modi will travel to Ukraine.

India and Poland share long-standing friendly relations, marked by high-level political contacts and vibrant economic engagement. The bilateral relations are wide-ranging and mutually beneficial. Poland is India's key economic partner in Central Europe.

The two nations established diplomatic relations in 1954, leading to the opening of the Indian Embassy in Warsaw in 1957 and the Polish Embassy in New Delhi in 1954.

(With Inputs From Agencies)