"Both unfair and unjustified": EAM Jaishankar during talks with Polish FM, says India "selectively targeted" on Russia-Ukraine war
New Delhi, January 19
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday criticised what he described as the selective targeting of India over its position on the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
"In the recent past, both in New York last September and in Paris this January, I have candidly shared our views on the Ukraine conflict and its implications. While doing so, I have also repeatedly underlined that the selective targeting of India is both unfair and unjustified. I do so again today," Jaishankar said.
The External Affairs Minister was delivering opening remarks during delegation-level talks with visiting Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland, Radoslaw Sikorski, in New Delhi.
The meeting between the two ministers comes at a time when the world is witnessing significant "global churn", and Jaishankar underlined the need for closer engagement between India and Poland.
Responding to Jaishankar's remarks on tariffs, his Polish counterpart Sikoski said the tariffs imposed by the United States are leading to global trade turbulence. He also noted India's seriousness in expanding relations with Europe, which has also been targeted by the US administration of President Donald Trump.
"I also completely agree with you on the unfairness of selective targeting, by tariffs. And we in Europe know something about that. Also, we fear that this is progressing to a global trade turbulence. We are hoping that India will continue to stay engaged in Europe. We've noticed that you are establishing embassies everywhere in Europe, which means that you are serious about relations with the European Union," Sikoski said.
Trump has imposed tariffs on India for buying Russian oil and they currently stand at 50 per cent. Trump has also announced 10 per cent tariffs on several European countries for opposing his bid for Greenland. Poland and Italy are, however, not on the list.
Jaishankar also urged that Poland should display zero tolerance for terrorism and not help fuel terrorist infrastructure in India's neighbourhood.
"Deputy Prime Minister, you are no stranger to our region and are more than familiar with the long-standing challenges of cross-border terrorism. Poland should display zero tolerance for terrorism and not help fuel the terrorist infrastructure in our neighbourhood," Jaishankar said.
Agreeing with Jaishankar on terrorism, Sikorski said, "I completely agree with you on the need to counter transnational transborder terrorism. Poland, as you may have heard, has been a victim of arsons and attempted state terrorism when a Polish railway line was blown up under a moving train just very recently," he said.
Notably, Sikorski had, in October 2025, visited Pakistan and held bilateral talks.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Good to see our Foreign Minister speaking firmly. Our foreign policy is independent and based on national interest, not on pressure from Western blocs. The point on terrorism is crucial too – Poland must understand the threats we face from our western border. 🇮🇳
While I understand India's position, the global rules-based order matters. The war in Ukraine has disrupted everything. Selective or not, all major economies need to take a clearer stand against aggression. Just my two cents.
The 50% tariff by the US is pure economic bullying. They want to dictate who we can trade with. Our diplomacy is now strong enough to call this out. Poland agreeing on the unfairness of tariffs shows we are not alone in this fight.
I appreciate the strong stance, but sometimes I feel our messaging gets too defensive. Instead of just saying "unfair," can we more proactively shape the narrative about why our Russia policy is pragmatic for global stability? Just a thought.
The link to terrorism is key. Poland's FM visited Pakistan recently. Jaishankar sahab is subtly reminding them who the real state-sponsor of terror in the region is. Our security concerns are non-negotiable. Well said!
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.