Poland backs India’s right to pursue terrorists beyond borders: Envoy

New Delhi, Aug 21: Asserting that Poland supports India’s fight against terrorism and understands its concerns, Polish Ambassador Piotr Antoni Switalski on Friday said that his country backs India’s right to pursue terrorists beyond borders.
Talking to reporters here, Switalski, said, “Poland itself has been a victim of terrorism and supports India’s position on taking action against terrorists beyond its borders.”
“On the question of terrorism, we are on your side,” he said.
Referring to terrorist violence in Jammu and Kashmir, he said the attacks carried out on Indian soil, including the 2025 Pahalgam terror attack, were “terrible” and said that Poland had openly supported India’s right to pursue terrorists wherever they go.
Notably, the envoy’s comments come amid India’s continued focus on cross-border terrorism and efforts to strengthen international cooperation against terror networks targeting Jammu and Kashmir.
Switalski described India as a “very effective partner” and said Warsaw and New Delhi could work together in a turbulent global environment marked by several disruptive forces.
He said stronger cooperation between the two countries could create an “axis of stability” and offer a positive model for international cooperation.
The Polish envoy also responded to questions about reports that Polish-made drones were used against Pakistani infrastructure during the initial phase of ‘Operation Sindoor.’ “There were reports from both Indian and Pakistani sides about the use of such drones,” he said, adding, “According to experts I spoke to, some of the Polish-made drones may have been used as decoys or training platforms.”
Switalski said he was surprised by attempts to link Poland to the conflict and suggested that “a kind of foreign agenda” could sometimes be behind such narratives.
Beyond security cooperation, the ambassador called for closer defence and economic ties between Poland and India.
He said Poland was undertaking major defence procurement and viewed India as an attractive partner because of its capabilities in certain areas of defence production and the scale of its industrial base.
Polish companies, he said, were also interested in expanding their presence in India, while Indian businesses could view Poland as a gateway to the European Union’s large market.
Switalski also highlighted the longstanding historical and emotional ties between the two countries, recalling the role played by Indian royalty in providing shelter to Polish refugees during World War II.
He particularly referred to Maharaja Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji Jadeja of Nawanagar, who sheltered Polish children fleeing the war and is remembered in Poland as the “Good Maharaja”.
He also mentioned the Polish refugee settlement at Valivade near Kolhapur, where thousands of displaced Polish people found shelter between 1942 and 1948.
The ambassador said the historical relationship provided a strong foundation for expanding present-day cooperation between India and Poland, including in defence, trade and other strategic sectors. (KNO)