Prime Minister Narendra Modi played a key role in dissuading Russian President Vladimir Putin from using tactical nuclear weapons during the Ukraine war in late 2022, Poland’s Deputy Foreign Minister Władysław Teofil Bartoszewski said here on Monday, describing Modi as one of the few global leaders capable of influencing the Russian President.Addressing a joint press briefing with Poland’s Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Technology Michał Baranowski after the India-Poland Joint Economic Commission meeting, Bartoszewski said India’s longstanding ties with Russia and Modi’s personal stature gave New Delhi unique leverage in efforts to end the conflict.”Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a very well-known world statesman, who is very respected. India has a long-standing relationship with the Russian Federation and, before that, with the Soviet Union. President Putin actually pays attention to what Prime Minister Modi tells him,” Bartoszewski said.”I mentioned the role Prime Minister Modi played in stopping Putin from using tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine at the end of 2022. Prime Minister Modi is one of the few people who can actually exert some pressure and influence on President Putin, and that is clearly something India could do to help stop this conflict,” he added.On India’s aspirations for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council, Bartoszewski reiterated Poland’s support, saying Warsaw backed a larger and more representative Security Council.”We certainly support India in this quest,” he said, while noting that reform remained difficult because any change required the unanimous consent of all permanent members, each of whom holds veto power.The Polish Deputy Foreign Minister also signalled growing defence cooperation between the two countries. He said both sides were working towards signing an agreement on the exchange of classified information, a prerequisite for deeper military collaboration.He said Poland had received interest from India in acquiring Polish defence platforms, while Indian companies were also exploring opportunities to manufacture military equipment in Poland.The Minister cited ongoing cooperation in drone production and discussions on satellite projects, including a proposed $1 billion satellite programme involving Indian manufacturing.Highlighting Poland’s defence modernisation, Bartoszewski said the country had secured a €44-billion European Union loan, with the bulk of the funding earmarked for Polish arms manufacturers while encouraging technology partnerships with foreign companies, including from India.Meanwhile, Poland’s Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Technology Michał Baranowski said bilateral economic ties were poised for significant expansion ahead of Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s planned visit to India later this year.”We are on the cusp of a new chapter in our economic relations,” Baranowski said, adding that the Joint Economic Commission meeting had laid the groundwork for expanding trade and investment.Describing the proposed India-European Union Free Trade Agreement as the “mother of all trade agreements”, Baranowski said its conclusion would create substantial opportunities for businesses in both India and Europe.Noting that bilateral trade currently stands at around $6 billion annually, he expressed confidence that the figure could be doubled in the coming years, with possible announcements expected during Prime Minister Tusk’s visit.