Selective targeting on tariffs, says Jaishankar, flags Poland minister’s outreach to Pakistan

Sikorski, who also holds the portfolio of Poland’s Foreign minister, said he agreed with Jaishankar on the “unfairness” and “selective targeting” in the context of tariffs over India’s relations with Russia.

Responding, Jaishankar said, “Thank you very much. Of course, the selective targeting is not limited to tariffs — I think there have been other forms of selective targeting.”

India has been bearing the brunt of 50 per cent tariffs from the US — 25 per cent reciprocal and 25 per cent over Russian oil — and has also been facing challenges from the Trump administration as it is negotiating a trade deal.

Referring to Sikorski’s visit to Pakistan, Jaishankar said, “…you are no stranger to our region and are certainly familiar with the longstanding challenge of cross-border terrorism. I hope at this meeting to discuss some of your recent travels to the region. Poland should display zero-tolerance for terrorism and not help fuel the terrorist infrastructure in our neighbourhood.”

During his visit to Pakistan, Sikorski held talks with Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar following which a joint statement was issued that featured the Kashmir issue.

Framing the context of their meeting in Delhi, Jaishankar said, “We meet at a time when the world is under considerable churn. As two nations located in different regions, each with its own challenges and opportunities, it is obviously useful to exchange views and perspectives. Our bilateral relationship has also progressed steadily, but nevertheless, needs constant tending.”

Underlining that India and Poland have traditionally enjoyed warm and friendly ties, the External Affairs minister said that it has been marked in recent years by “high-level political exchanges and vibrant economic and people-to-people ties”. He also recalled the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Poland in August 2024 which saw the relationship being elevated to a Strategic Partnership status.

The two ministers also reviewed the bilateral Action Plan 2024-28, through which they discussed ways to take forward cooperation in “trade and investment, defence and security, clean technologies and digital innovation”.

Poland is one of India’s largest trading partners in Central Europe. “Our bilateral trade, I believe, stands at USD 7 billion, having registered growth of almost 200% in the past decade. Indian investment in Poland has surpassed USD 3 billion, creating a number of job opportunities for Poles. India’s strong economic growth, size of its market and pro-investment policies, provide immense opportunity for Polish businesses,” Jaishankar said.

“We will also explore promoting deeper cultural and people-to-people ties. The ‘Dobry Maharaja’ remains a cherished link. I recall meeting Polish youth in February last year under the first Jamsaheb Memorial Youth Exchange Programme. It is heartening to note that Indology continues to thrive and yoga is popular in Poland,” he said.

During his visit, Prime Minister Modi had paid tribute at the Dobry (Good) Maharaja Memorial in Warsaw. The memorial is dedicated to the Jamsaheb of erstwhile Nawanagar, Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji Jadeja, who provided shelter to over 1,000 Polish children during World War II.

Sikorski, who is on a three-day visit to India, visited Jaipur over the weekend. In a post on X, Jaishankar said, “Today’s meeting with DPM & FM @sikorskiradek of Poland provided an opportunity for an open conversation on our bilateral ties and global developments.”

He said the discussions covered multiple areas of cooperation between the two sides, including “advancing our economic, technology, defence, mining, P2P and multilateral cooperation”.

Jaishankar also expressed appreciation for Poland’s support for closer engagement between India and the European Union, saying, “Appreciate Poland’s support for stronger India-EU ties.”