Poland has expressed strong solidarity with India in its fight against terrorism. Polish Ambassador to India Piotr Antoni Switalski stated that Warsaw supports New Delhi’s right to pursue terrorists wherever they operate, emphasising that Poland itself has been a victim of terrorism.

Speaking at an event in New Delhi, Switalski made clear that Poland’s position on terrorism is unambiguous. He said Poland stands firmly with India in its efforts to counter terrorist threats. He remarked, “On the question of terrorism, we are on your side because we are victims of terrorism.”

The envoy acknowledged the severity of terrorist attacks faced by India, including the April 2025 attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. He said, “We cannot compare because the terrorist attacks committed against Indian souls in the past years, including in Kashmir in 2025, were terrible.

Nothing comparable happened in Poland.” He added that Poland supports India’s right to pursue terrorists everywhere, stressing that Warsaw’s policy on the matter is very clear.

Switalski also shared a personal connection with Jammu and Kashmir. He revealed that he had visited the region shortly before the 2025 terrorist attack. “I spent Easter last year in Kashmir, and I left Srinagar the night before the terrorist attack. I was supposed to go the other day. So it’s very personal,” he said.

The ambassador expressed surprise at attempts to involve Poland in discussions linked to Pakistan. He suggested that such references might be driven by foreign agendas.

He clarified that Poland maintains diplomatic relations with Pakistan and has some economic interests there, though he noted that other Western European countries are far more engaged economically with Islamabad.

Switalski addressed reports about Polish-made drones being used during the India-Pakistan confrontation following Operation Sindoor in May 2025. He said, “The President referred to the reports that Polish drones were used against Pakistani infrastructure in the first days and hours of Operation Sindoor. There were reports by Indian and Pakistani sources.

They shot down some of the Polish drones.” He suspected that the drones were used as decoys or training platforms, while acknowledging the historical complexity of Poland’s military links with both India and Pakistan.

He recalled that Polish pilots had helped build Pakistan’s air force after its separation, as they were hired due to lack of employment opportunities. At the same time, he highlighted Poland’s military support to India, noting that Polish tanks were used by the Indian Army during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.

He said, “But on the other hand, Polish tanks were used by the Indian Army to liberate Bangladesh. It’s a famous story.” He further pointed out that Poland was the third country in the world to recognise Bangladesh’s independence, underscoring Warsaw’s alignment with India during that period.

The envoy’s remarks come as India and Poland seek to deepen their bilateral relationship. Both nations are working towards greater cooperation across political, economic, defence, and people-to-people ties. 

The reaffirmation of Poland’s support for India’s right to combat terrorism everywhere highlights the strengthening of strategic trust between the two countries.

ANI