Cheers, flags and traditional dance: PM Modi gets grand welcome from Indian community in Poland

PM Modi's visit to Poland is the first trip by an Indian Prime Minister to the country in the past 45 years, as he was welcomed by an enthusiastic crowd in Warsaw. He will meet President Andrzej Sebastian Duda and hold bilateral talks with his Polish counterpart Donald Tusk.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in Poland on Wednesday evening.  It is the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the country in the past 45 years. He paid homage at the 'Good Maharaja Square,' a monument in memory of the late Maharaja of Jamnagar in Warsaw. 

PM Modi paid homage at the Kolhapur Memorial in Warsaw. The memorial is a tribute to the great Royal Family of Kolhapur, who gave shelter to Polish women and children displaced during World War  II.

The Indian community members in Poland gave a warm welcome to PM Modi. He said the Indian community’s energy embodies the strong ties that bind India and Poland. PM Modi said he was "deeply touched by the warm welcome from the Indian community in Poland".

Addressing the Indian community, PM Modi said, ” The whole world is seeing India as Vishwabandhu. This is not a matter of geopolitics but these are our values…those who did not have any home…they came to India.”

PM Modi thanked Poland citizens for helping Indians during the time of distress in Ukraine. “Poland helped Indians who were in distress and fleeing from Ukraine. Eeven Visa restrictions were lifted. I want to thank all Poland citizens on behalf of the whole India. I salute all of you.”

“India and Poland have agreed on a social security agreement…which will benefit people like you. India’s vision, culture, care and compassion is global. We follow the principle of Vasudhev Kutumbakam,” PM Modi said in Poland.

Modi recalled that Poland was one of the first countries to assist when Gujarat was hit by an earthquake two decades ago.

"People of Poland have given a lot of love and respect to Jam Saheb and his family members, and the Good Maharaja Square is a testimony of that. Today, I have visited the Dobry Maharaja Memorial and Kolhapur Memorial. On this occasion, I want to announce that India has decided to launch the Jam Saheb Memorial Youth Action programme," he said.

His remarks come ahead of his trip to Kyiv - the first visit by an Indian prime minister to Ukraine since the country became independent in 1991.

Modi, who is visiting Ukraine at the invitation of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has said that he will share with the Ukrainian leader perspectives on peaceful resolution of the ongoing conflict.