India And Poland Have Agreed On Social Security Agreement: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that India and Poland have agreed on social security agreement. He stated that partnership between two nations has been strengthening in areas like new technology and clean energy.

He also pointed out that Kabbadi emerged as a source of connection between the two nations as Poland is going to host the Kabaddi championship for the first time this year.

While addressing Indian community in Poland's Warsaw, PM Modi stated, "Innovation and youth are going to give energy to the development of both nations. Today I have come to you with a big good news. Both India and Poland have agreed on a social security agreement which is going to benefit all the friends like you."

"India's wisdom is global. India's vision is global. India's culture is global. Care and compassion is global. Our ancestors gave us the mantra of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. We have considered the whole world as one family and this is visible in the policies and decisions of today's India. At the time of G20, India called for 'One Earth, One Family and One Future'," he added.

PM Modi stated that he will be meeting his Polish counterpart Donald Tusk and Poland's President Andrzej Duda. He stated that the ties between two nations will be further strengthened through these meetings.

Emphasising the strengthening ties between India and Poland, he stated, "I am happy that the partnership between India and Poland is continuously increasing in areas like new technology and clean energy. Many Indian companies have invested here, created jobs, many Polish companies have created opportunities in India."

"Tomorrow, I am going to meet President Duda ji and the Prime Minister. Through these meetings, the wonderful India-Poland partnership will be further strengthened. PM Tusk is a good friend of India. I have met Donald Tusk when he served as President of the European Council," he added.

Speaking about the similarities between the two nations, PM Modi stated, "There are many similarities in the society of India and Poland. A big similarity is also in our democracy. India is not only the Mother of democracy, but also a participatory and Vibrant Democracy. The people of India have unwavering faith in democracy. We have seen this confidence in recent elections also."

"This was the biggest election in history. 180 million voters voted in elections recently held in the European Union. Three times more people, 640 million voters voted in elections in India. During the elections in India, thousands of political parties participated in this elections, nearly 8000 candidates contested polls, more than five million voting machines, more than eight million polling stations, more than 15 million employees worked in the elections. This kind of management, efficiency, and the trust on the elections is India's strength," he added.

He stated that Poland and India have connected through Kabbadi and noted that this game is played in every village in India.

Highlighting the connection between two nations through the game of Kabbadi, PM Modi stated, "Poland and India have connected through Kabaddi as well. You also know that Kabaddi is played in every village in India. This game has reached Poland from India and the people of Poland have taken Kabaddi to new heights. Poland has been the European Kabaddi champion for two consecutive years. I have been told that the Kabaddi Championship is going to be held from August 24 and for the first time Poland is hosting it. Today, through you I also convey my best wishes to the Polish Kabaddi team."

PM Modi stated that India has set the goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047 and is working at unprecedented scale and speed to achieve this target.

He stated, "A few days back, you all celebrated India's Independence Day. During the Azaadi movement, our freedom fighters had dreamed of a prosperous India. Today, every Indian is working hard to make that dream come true. India has set the goal to become a developed India by 2047. That is why today's India is working at unprecedented scale, speed and solutions. You will be proud about the scale and speed at which change is taking place in India today."

Underscoring how the people have come out of poverty in the past 10 years, PM Modi stated, "250 million people have come out of poverty in India in the last 10 years in India. 250 million means this number is more than the total population of France, Germany and UK. We have built 40 million permanent houses for the poor in 10 years and we are going to build 30 million more houses and if there are 14 million households in Poland today, then we have created almost three new Polands in just a decade."

He stated that 500 million Jan Dhan accounts have been opened in India in 10 years. He also talked on how people in India are making digital transactions through UPI.

"We have taken financial inclusion to the next level. In 10 years, 500 million Jan Dhan bank accounts have been opened in India. This number is more than the population of the entire European Union. The number of digital transactions made through UPI every day in India is equivalent to the population of European Union. The government provides free health insurance of Rs 5 lakh to more Indians than the total population of the European Union," he said.

Stressing the rise in broadband users in India in the past 10 years, PM Modi said, "In the last decade, the number of broadband users in India has also increased from 60 million to more than 940 million. Many people use broadband in India today as do the populations of Europe and the US combined. In the last decade, about 7 lakh kilometers optical fibre have been laid. This is equivalent to moving around the Earth 70 times. India has extended the 5G network to every district of the country within two years. Now we are working on the Made in India 6G network."

Highlighting the growth of India in the transport sector, he said, "The scale of transformation is also visible in public transport. In 2014, five cities in India had operational metros. Today there is an operational metro in 20 cities. Poland has a one-third population as many people travel by metro every day."

He stated that India is not far away from becoming the third largest economy of the world. He also spoke about his commitment to make India the third largest economy in his third term.

PM Modi said, "Today, every agency and every organization in the world is predicting India's brilliant future and they are not astrologers. They calculate on the basis of data. They calculate on the basis of ground realities. India is not far away from becoming the third-largest economy of the world. I have promised the people of the country that India will becomne the third-largest economy in my third term. In the coming years, the world is going to see the tremendous economic rise of India."

"NASSCOM estimates that India, due to its digital infrastructure, will become a trillion-dollar economy by the end of this decade. NASSCOM and Boston Consulting Group estimate that India's AI market will grow at 30-30 per cent in the coming three to four years," he added.

He noted that India is working on semiconductor Mission, Deep Ocean Mission, National Green Hydrogen Mission, National Quantum Mission and AI Mission. He stated that India is also preparing to establish its own space station in the coming few years. And the day is not far when you will see Indian astronauts going into space in Made in India Gaganyaan.

PM Modi said, "Today, India's entire focus is on quality manufacturing and quality manpower. These are two things which are very essential for the global supply chain. In the recent budget, we have laid a lot of emphasis on the skilling of our youth and job creation. Our youth have come in large numbers to study in Poland. We are also engaged in making India a huge center of education, research and innovation. Be it technology, medical care or education, India has taken the lead in creating skilled manpower for the world in every sector."

Stressing that balance between economy and ecology is a priority of India, he stated, "Balance between economy and ecology is the priority of India today. India is moving forward with a pledge to become a developed nation and a net zero nation. India is working on a 360-degree approach for a green future. Green mobility is a big example of this."

He stated that India has witnessed rise in the sales of electric vehicles in India. He said, "Today, India is expanding electric mobility at a fast pace. Today, the sales of electric vehicles in India are increasing rapidly every year. Last year, there was a growth of more than 40 percent in the sales of EVs. The day is not far when India will become global center of EV manufacturing and innovation. In the coming time, you are going to see India as a big global hub of green hydrogen.

The Prime Minister said that India's strategy is to maintain equal closeness with all nations as compared to its previous policy of remaining equidistant.

PM Modi said, "Since last week, the Indian media is only talking about you. There is also a headline that it's the first time in 45 years that an Indian PM is visiting Poland. A lot of good things are there in my fate. I visited Austria recently. There too, an Indian PM was visiting after four decades. Situations have changed now."

"For decades, India had a policy to maintain distance from all the countries. However, the policy of today's India is to have equal closeness with all countries. The India of today wants to connect with all. Today's India talks about the development of all. Today's India is with all and thinks about the interests of all," he added.

He said that Indians are known for their efforts, actions and empathy. He stated that Indians are bringing laurels to the country through their efforts. He called empathy an identity of Indians and added that India is the first country which extends a helping hand when any country faces a crisis in the world. He recalled how India sent medicines and vaccines to over 150 nations during COVID-19 pandemic.

"Empathy is also an identity of us Indians. Whenever there is a crisis in any country in the world, India is the first country which extends a helping hand. When Covid came, India said, Humanity first. We sent medicines and vaccines to more than 150 countries of the world. Wherever there is an earthquake or any disaster in the world, India has only one mantra: Humanity first. If there is a war, India says - Humanity first and in this spirit, India helps the citizens all over the world," PM Modi stated.

He also lauded Indian community members for helping Indian students who were stuck in Ukraine when the war erupted in 2022. He also thanked the Poland government for opening doors for Indian students and removing visa restrictions.

Expressing gratitude to people for giving him a warm welcome in Poland, he stated, "You all have come here from different parts of Poland. Everyone has different languages, dialects, food habits, but you all are connected with the feeling of Indianness. You have given me such a wonderful welcome here, I am very grateful to all of you, to the people of Poland, for this welcome."

PM Modi arrived in Poland on Wednesday, the first Indian leader to visit the Central European country in 45 years. His visit to Warsaw, comes as India and Poland are celebrating the 70th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations.

Members of the Indian diaspora greeted PM Modi and he reciprocated their affections. The Prime Minister waved to the gathering and also shook hands with some of those present. The members of the Indian community raised slogans lauding PM Modi as also "Bharat mata ki jai" slogans.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)