Indian President Visits Poland

India’s President Pratibha Patil spent the weekend of April 23-26 in Poland, meeting government and business leaders and touring Warsaw, Krakow and the former Auschwitz concentration camp. The primary aim of her visit was to to boost trade relationships as well as tourism between Poland and India. Patil spoke with President Kaczyński and Prime Minister Tusk at two separate meetings, and told the Polish press that, “despite the current global economic downturn [our bilateral trade] is well under its full potential [and we] have agreed to look at ways of enhancing bilateral investments, trade and economic cooperation.”

Two agreements were signed between the two nations: one on healthcare co-operation and one on tourism. The leaders also discussed their joint military roles, and their places in NATO and the common fight against terrorism.

In 2008, trade between India and Poland hit $1.3 billion (from $200 million in 2003), and businessmen and entrepreneurs on both sides seem eager to form even closer ties between the two countries.