New Delhi [India], October 22 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said India and Poland would work together to develop trusted global supply chains and achieve their shared bilateral trade goal for 2030, as he highlighted growing economic opportunities between the two countries following high-level bilateral talks with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

Addressing a joint press statement at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, PM Modi said the growing economic strength of both countries, along with the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA), had created new opportunities for the India-Poland partnership.

'The world today is going through a period of uncertainty and change. At such a time too, India and Poland are emerging as important centers of growth, technology and innovation. Poland's GDP crossed the historic milestone of USD 1 trillion. I congratulate PM Tusk for this. India too registered a remarkable growth rate of 7.8 per cent in the last quarter,' PM Modi said.

'The increasing economic strength of both countries presents new opportunities for the India-Poland partnership. The India-European Union free trade agreement has further strengthened these possibilities,' he added.

Highlighting the participation of a large Polish business delegation accompanying Tusk, PM Modi expressed confidence that companies from both countries would collaborate on global supply chains and work towards the shared trade goal.

'I am particularly pleased that the Prime Minister brought a large business delegation. We are confident that companies from both nations will work together to develop trusted supply chains for the world and will also realise our shared goal of bilateral trade for 2030,' he said.

PM Modi further said the implementation of the India-EU FTA would open new opportunities for Indian exports of machinery, chemicals, plastics and engineering goods to Poland, while sectors such as advanced manufacturing, food processing, biotechnology, railways and mobility could attract fresh Polish investments.

On strategic cooperation, PM Modi said India and Poland had agreed to deepen ties in defence, space and energy, inviting Polish companies to engage in co-development and co-production with India.

'Today we agreed to deepen our ties in the fields of defence, space and energy. In all these strategic sectors, we invite Polish companies to engage in co-development and co-production with India. We will also forge new partnerships, leveraging Poland's expertise in critical minerals and coal gasification,' he said.

He also announced the establishment of the India-Poland Startup Bridge and technology hackathons for young people from both countries to strengthen collaboration in emerging technologies.

'Our relationship in the domains of IT and cybersecurity is already robust, with many Indian IT companies operating in Poland. Building upon this cooperation, we agreed to establish the India-Poland Startup Bridge. We will also organise technology hackathons for the youth of both our countries,' PM Modi said.

Earlier, Prime Minister Modi held bilateral talks with his Polish counterpart Donald Tusk at Hyderabad House in New Delhi to review India-Poland relations and explore avenues for strengthening cooperation across key sectors.

The meeting comes during Tusk's official visit to India from October 21 to 23, aimed at advancing the India-Poland Strategic Partnership and expanding cooperation in trade, defence, technology and other areas of mutual interest.

On the same day, the Polish Prime Minister paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat, where he laid a wreath at the memorial dedicated to the Father of the Nation.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also called on Tusk on Thursday and discussed ways to deepen bilateral cooperation across a wide range of domains.

In a post on X, Jaishankar said, "Pleased to call on Prime Minister Donald Tusk @donaldtuskof Poland. Appreciated his sharing thoughts on deepening India - Poland cooperation across a wide range of domains."

Tusk arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday at the invitation of Prime Minister Modi. He is accompanied by Poland's Minister of Finance and Economy Andrzej Domanski and a business delegation.

During his visit, Tusk is also scheduled to participate in the India-Poland Business Forum in New Delhi before travelling to Bengaluru on October 23 to engage with leaders from India's information technology and space sectors.

India and Poland elevated their bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership during PM Modi's visit to Poland in August 2024. Tusk's current visit marks the first visit by a Polish Prime Minister to India since 2010. (ANI)