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Underlining Warsaw's solidarity with New Delhi in the fight against terrorism, Polish Ambassador to India Piotr Antoni Switalski on Thursday said that Poland supports India's right to pursue terrorists wherever they operate, noting that the nation itself has been a "victim of terrorism."
Speaking at an event in the national capital, Switalski said Poland's position on terrorism was clear and that Warsaw stood with India in its efforts to counter terrorist threats. "On the question of terrorism, we are on your side because we are victims of terrorism," the Polish envoy said. Acknowledging the severity of terrorist attacks faced by India, including the attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam in April last year, he said, "We cannot compare because the terrorist attacks committed against Indian souls in the past years, including in Kashmir in 2025, were terrible. Nothing comparable happened in Poland." "We support your right to pursue terrorists everywhere they go because our policy on that is very clear, and we said it openly," Switalski added. The Polish ambassador also recalled his personal connection with Jammu and Kashmir, saying he had visited the region shortly before the 2025 terrorist attack. "I spent Easter last year in Kashmir, and I left Srinagar the night before the terrorist attack. I was supposed to go the other day. So it's very personal," he said. Switalski also expressed surprise at attempts to bring Poland into discussions involving Pakistan, suggesting, "When I hear some statements using the Pakistani factor to attack Poland, I'm really very surprised. I suspect sometimes a kind of foreign agenda behind it." Speaking about Poland's relations with Pakistan, the envoy said Warsaw maintained diplomatic ties with Islamabad as well as some economic engagement, while noting that other Western European countries have significantly larger economic interests in Pakistan. "Concerning Pakistan, we have diplomatic relations with Pakistan. We maintain contact. We have some economic interests, although other Western European countries are much more engaged than us in the economy of Pakistan," Switalski said. His remarks also touched upon reports concerning the use of Polish-made drones during the India-Pakistan military confrontation following Operation Sindoor in May 2025. "The President referred to the reports that Polish drones were used against Pakistani infrastructure in the first days and hours of Operation Sindoor. There were reports by Indian and Pakistani sources. They shot down some of the Polish drones," he said. Switalski said he suspected the drones were used as decoys or training platforms, while stressing the broader historical complexity of Poland's military links with both India and Pakistan. "It's undeniable that Polish pilots built the air force of Pakistan after separation. They had no job, and they were hired by Pakistan," he said. At the same time, he highlighted Poland's historical military support to India, recalling the use of Polish tanks by the Indian Army during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. "But on the other hand, Polish tanks were used by the Indian Army to liberate Bangladesh. It's a famous story," Switalski said. He further noted that Poland was among the earliest countries to recognise Bangladesh's independence. "Poland was the third country in the world to recognise the independence of Bangladesh. So clearly, we were on your side," the envoy said. The comments come amid efforts by India and Poland to deepen their bilateral relationship, with both countries seeking greater cooperation across political, economic, defence and people-to-people ties. (ANI)
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