New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a visit to Poland -- a first for an Indian Prime Minister in more than four decades. The last Prime Minister to visit Poland was Morarji Desai in 1979.
Joking that the "first visit" had been one of the biggest headlines back home, he told a gathering of expat Indians that his recent visit to Austria has been another first in four decades. "It is my good fortune to bring about many firsts," he added to laughter and cheers.
This string of firsts, he indicated, was due to a 180 degree shift in foreign policy.
"For decades, India's policy was to maintain distance from all countries," PM Modi said. "The situation has now changed... Today, India's policy is to maintain close ties with all countries. Today's India wants to connect with everyone," he added, in a subtle jab at the Non-Aligned Movement of the 1970s under then Congress government.
"Today's India is with everyone and thinks about everyone's benefit. Today the world respects India as Vishwa Bandhu (friend to all)," he added.
Over the last years, PM Modi has been to several nations for the first time, the one that made the biggest headlines being Israel. It acknowledged the shift in the ties between the two nations that was already in progress -- from the traditional military-security paradigm to economic and developmental issues.
The current visit to Poland underscores India's heightened participation in matters involving Europe and the middle-east. In both the Russia-Ukraine conflict and Israel's war on Hamas, PM Modi has played the role of a peacemaker. He is expected to visit Ukraine today.
Ahead of his departure, PM Modi said his visit marks 70 years of diplomatic relations with Poland, which is now also a "key economic partner in Central Europe".
"Our bilateral trade is substantial. And it's of the order of US$6 billion, which makes Poland India's largest trading partner in Central and Eastern Europe. Indian investments in Poland are estimated at around US$3 billion. And the Polish investments into India are around US$1 billion," the foreign ministry has said.