India, Poland Look To Revive Defence Cooperation As Donald Tusk Visits New Delhi

Defence cooperation is expected to feature prominently in talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Polish counterpart, Donald Tusk, as the two countries look to turn their strategic partnership into more substantive military and industrial ties.

Tusk has arrived in New Delhi for his first visit to India as prime minister since 2010. Accompanied by Poland’s minister of finance and economy, Andrzej Domański, and a large business delegation, he is scheduled to meet Modi on 22 October. The discussions will cover trade, clean energy, emerging technologies and cultural ties, alongside efforts to expand cooperation in defence.

India and Poland elevated their relationship to a strategic partnership during Modi’s visit to Warsaw in August 2024. Yet defence ties have remained relatively limited despite a history of military equipment purchases and opportunities for industrial collaboration.

Warsaw is now looking to change that. Domański has made clear that Poland wants to expand its defence exports to India, with Polish defence companies forming part of a business delegation of around 100 firms accompanying Tusk.

A History Of Cooperation

India and Poland have worked together on defence equipment in the past, although the relationship has never developed into a sustained partnership.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) was the only foreign operator of Poland’s TS-11 Iskra jet trainer. It operated more than 60 aircraft at Hakimpet between 1975 and 2004. India also acquired WZT-3 armoured recovery vehicles and DRAWA-T fire-control systems in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

The two countries signed a defence cooperation agreement in 2003 and established a joint working group the following year. The WZT-3M armoured recovery vehicle, manufactured by Poland’s Bumar in collaboration with India’s BEML, was an early example of joint production.

The momentum, however, did not last. Poland’s ambassador to India, Piotr Świtalski, has acknowledged the prolonged pause and expressed hope that the two sides can return to the more intensive engagement seen in earlier years.

A meeting of the bilateral military cooperation committee in Warsaw in September, following a lengthy gap, has offered a possible starting point. Officials have also discussed setting up a joint working group to identify specific areas for collaboration.

For Warsaw, “political trust will be central to any deeper engagement, particularly in sensitive technologies.” Świtalski has said that such cooperation requires a clear signal from the highest political levels that neither side will act against the other’s interests.

Ukraine War Reshapes Poland’s Defence Ambitions

Russia’s war against Ukraine has transformed Poland’s security priorities and accelerated its military modernisation. Warsaw now spends close to 5% of its gross domestic product on defence, creating demand for equipment and technologies ranging from air-defence systems and man-portable missiles to drones.

As Świtalski told Outlook, demand has grown so sharply that some Polish manufacturers are struggling to fulfil all their orders.

India, meanwhile, is expanding domestic defence manufacturing while looking for foreign partners that can contribute technology, production capacity and specialised capabilities.

Defence production in India reached a record ₹1.78 lakh crore in 2025–26, with private companies accounting for around 24 per cent of the total. Defence exports also rose to ₹38,424 crore, showing the growing role of Indian manufacturers in international markets.

Warmate Offers A Possible Opening

One existing example is the Warmate loitering munition developed by the Polish defence company WB Electronics and offered in India through WB India. The system was acquired by the Indian Army under emergency procurement and has undergone high-altitude trials in Ladakh.

Warmate has a range of around 30 km when operated through its ground control station. Its reach can extend to approximately 100 km when the signal is relayed through the FlyEye reconnaissance drone.

WB India is also developing a Warmate production line in the Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor, potentially creating a larger role for Indian manufacturing. The company has said it can adapt its systems to incorporate Indian components, provided they meet the required performance standards.

The timing suits India’s needs. The Indian Army is raising 15 to 20 Shaktibaan regiments built around drones and loitering munitions. These will need suppliers that can produce at scale, adapt designs to Indian terrain and support systems close to the troops.

For Polish companies, India offers a market that is increasingly interested in local production and technology partnerships rather than straightforward imports. For India, Poland could bring specialised capabilities in areas where demand is rising rapidly.