India's outreach to Central and Eastern Europe reflects a recalibration of its Europe policy. Examine with reference to the India–Poland Strategic Partnership.

India's Europe policy used to run mainly through Western European capitals like London, Paris and Berlin. That is now changing. In 2024, the 70th year of diplomatic ties, India and Poland upgraded their relationship to a Strategic Partnership [2]. The Polish PM's visit in October 2026 then turned that upgrade into concrete outcomes [1]. Together, these show that India now treats Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) as a priority in its own right.

Markers of recalibration: the Poland case

• Institutionalisation: A five-year Action Plan (2024–28) sets out the work. The Joint Commission for Economic Cooperation handles the economic side [2][3].
• Economic: The two sides set a target to double bilateral trade by 2030 [1], from about USD 7 bn [4].
• Defence: A new Defence Industry Dialogue will sit alongside the existing JWG on Defence Cooperation [1][2]. This supports Atmanirbhar co-production, not just purchases.
• Security: A new counter-terrorism dialogue has been agreed [1].
• Multilateral: Poland has joined the India-hosted CDRI [1], which widens India's disaster-diplomacy coalition inside the EU.
• Soft power: The memory of the "Good Maharaja" of Nawanagar and the Valivade (Kolhapur) camp, which sheltered Polish refugees in WWII, builds goodwill among the Polish public [3].

Drivers

• The EU's centre of gravity is moving eastward, and Poland is a large, fast-growing EU member.
• India wants to diversify its defence and technology partners.
• The India–EU FTA, concluded in Jan 2026, makes EU member states more important as markets [5].

Limits of the recalibration

• Divergence on Ukraine: In 2024 the two sides agreed only that nuclear threats are unacceptable [2]. In 2026, the EAM called the "selective targeting" of India unfair and urged Poland to show zero tolerance for terrorism in India's neighbourhood [4].
• EU competence: Trade policy is decided in Brussels, so the 2030 target depends on when the FTA enters into force [5].
• Process over results: Two of the four outcomes are dialogues, not signed deals [1].
• Trade imbalance: India mainly exports textiles and chemicals and mainly imports machinery [3]. Poland will want more balanced trade.

Way forward: Fix an agreed trade baseline and review it every year through the Joint Commission. Deliver at least one defence co-production project before 2028. Seek a Polish financial contribution to CDRI.

The Poland partnership shows that India's Europe policy is shifting from a few Western capitals to a broader, multi-regional engagement. Its success depends on turning dialogues into deliverables. If that happens, it will support India's vision of a multipolar world and a strong partnership with Europe.