India and Poland have taken another step towards implementing their Strategic Partnership, with senior officials from both countries meeting in New Delhi on September 28, 2026, for a Joint Working Group discussion focused on defence and defence-industrial cooperation.
The meeting was co-chaired by India’s Secretary for Defence Production Sanjeev Kumar and Poland’s Secretary of State and Deputy Minister Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka. The discussions centred on operationalising the India-Poland Joint Action Plan for 2024–2028 and strengthening institutional engagement between the two countries.
Defence Cooperation Moves Into Implementation Phase
The latest Joint Working Group meeting focused on converting the commitments of the 2024–2028 Action Plan into practical areas of cooperation.
India and Poland agreed in 2024 to make fuller use of existing bilateral mechanisms, including the Joint Working Group for Defence Cooperation, as part of their effort to deepen security and defence ties.
The New Delhi meeting therefore represents a move from the broad political framework of the Strategic Partnership towards more structured implementation in defence and defence production.
Strategic Partnership Was Established in 2024
India and Poland elevated their bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Warsaw in August 2024.
The decision was accompanied by a five-year Joint Action Plan covering the period from 2024 to 2028, designed to guide cooperation across political dialogue, security, technology, energy, mining, transport, cyber security, health, education and other areas.
Defence cooperation was identified as an important component of the partnership, with both countries agreeing to strengthen existing institutional mechanisms and expand practical engagement.
Defence Industry Cooperation Gains Greater Attention
The September 28 meeting placed particular emphasis on defence-industrial cooperation, reflecting the growing importance of manufacturing, technology and industrial partnerships in India’s external defence engagements.
For India, such cooperation aligns with the wider push to expand domestic defence production, localisation and international industrial partnerships.
For Poland, closer engagement with India provides access to one of the world’s fastest-expanding defence manufacturing markets and creates opportunities for companies from both countries to explore complementary capabilities.
Wider Action Plan Includes Technology and Cyber Security
The India-Poland Joint Action Plan extends beyond conventional defence cooperation.
Both countries have committed to deeper engagement in cyber security, including exchanges on regulation, prevention of cyber attacks, research and development, awareness-building and business cooperation. They have also agreed to expand collaboration in areas such as critical minerals, advanced mining systems and space.
This broader framework gives the defence relationship a stronger technological foundation and creates scope for cooperation beyond traditional military exchanges.
India-Poland Defence Ties Acquire Greater Institutional Depth
The 2026 Joint Working Group meeting shows that the India-Poland Strategic Partnership is moving into a more implementation-oriented phase.
By linking defence dialogue with defence-industrial cooperation and the wider 2024–2028 Action Plan, both countries are building a more structured framework for long-term engagement.
The growing institutional depth gives India and Poland a stronger base to expand practical cooperation in defence, technology and industrial partnerships over the remaining years of the Action Plan.
References
Akashvani News — “India, Poland Hold Joint Working Group Meeting in New Delhi,” September 28, 2026.
Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India — “India-Poland Joint Statement: Establishment of Strategic Partnership,” August 22, 2024.
Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India — “Action Plan 2024–2028 for the Implementation of the India-Poland Strategic Partnership,” August 22, 2024.
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