Framework For Bilateral Relations Between India And Poland

In this essay I would be providing a framework for the bilateral relationship. Since the bipolar global structure impacted the India-Poland relations during the Cold War, this part examines their relationship through the prism of India-Soviet Union relations during the Cold War era. It provides an account of social and academic interactions between the two civilizations in ancient times as well as discusses the political, cultural and people-to-people contacts in detail.

Historical Relations

Historically, the connection between India and Poland can be discussed within the context of three consecutive periods. The first period refers to the pre-World War II period, the second period is the period during World War II and the third is post World War and focuses on both the Soviet Era and the formation of the Democratic Republic of Poland after 1989 and onwards.

Before World War II

The oldest records of relations between India and Poland show that the relationship between the two countries began in the 15th century. It was the period when numerous Polish writers, soldiers, and missionaries visited India with the curiosity to know and understand Indian values, civilization, philosophy, and discover spiritual India. In 1820 the book “History of Ancient India” written by Polish Historian Joachim Lelewel’ was published.

Stefan Norblin

Another narrative, which generates very sublime emotions and deliberations on the phenomenon of permeation of universal art into the unique dialogue between diverse cultures is the story of Stefan Norblin and his works in India. He was a well-known artist in Poland before World War II. In fact, Norblin earned his fame as a world-renowned portrait painter, having done work for much of the royalty in Europe and the Middle East. When the Nazis invaded Poland in 1939, Stefan and his wife Lena fled, picking their way across Europe until they could make their way to northwest India.

Over there Stefan Norblin had already secured a commission by the Maharaja of Jodhpur to paint murals on the walls of the grand palace. He was able to combine both his European creativity and technique with ancient yet vivid Indian tradition. Norblin's interpretation of the -Ramayana' epos, the stories of Shiva and Parvati and his vision of the Jodhpur princely state history have been rendered into the unique language of painting in the form of Art Deco murals. His works should be classified as very remarkable parts of the history of art in India as well as in Poland.

By the end of the 1990s, almost all the murals were in a terribly bad state and needed very careful and professional restoration. The Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs initiated a process of the long-awaited restoration works which could officially start after signing an agreement with the Maharaja Gaj Singh II of Jodhpur. Once it was done, all the necessary finances were allocated and a group of the most experienced Art Deco restorers was selected to commence the work. By the end of 2010, the six murals slowly began to regain their past glory and almost at the same time Stefan Norblin, somehow half-forgotten in Poland until then, began to regain his position in the Art Pantheon.

In September 2011, the Regional Museum in Stalowa Wola organized the Stefan Norblin exhibition, the first of this kind in Poland. In close cooperation with the Maharaja of Jodhpur and the Ministry of Culture, the Museum was able to display Norblin's works, which were otherwise inaccessible to the Polish art-lovers. The whole event was not only dedicated to the artist, his life and artistic achievements, it was a promotion festival of Indian heritage as well.' India was portrayed as a land of the sublime art which combines the elements of its cultural richness with Polish and European vision of universal creativity.

That new element was to some extent reflected in the decision made by the Government of Poland to promote officially the selected Norblin-related cultural events during the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU in 2011. One of the most vivid illustrations of his life and exceptional creativity is a documentary film made by Malgorzata Skiba, a Polish artist living in India who was supported in her work by the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The premiere took place in the Umaid Bhavan Palace in Jodhpur, and subsequently, the film had a great number of screenings in the prestigious venues in India and in Poland.

During World War II

During World War II around 6,000 Polish people were persecuted, they were sheltered in India for a long time. Mr. Maurycy Frydman-Bharatananada, a lawyer and engineer contributed to the development of industry in India. In Hyderabad still lives a very old now Ms. Kira Banasinska, who took care of Polish children refugees from Russia, received and accommodated by India during World War II. Apart from the above, during the Colonial fight for Independence in India, Mahatma Gandhi, and Jawaharlal Nehru extended their full cooperation and supported Poland during their Independence movement.

This, in turn, led to establish a World Association of Poles from India with a good number of members all over the world. During the time when India was fighting for its freedom, two prominent Poles; Murice Friedman (Swami Bharathananda) and Wanda Dynowska (Umadevi) were closely linked with the Freedom struggle and their contribution through their literary work is unforgettable even today. The official diplomatic and ambassadorial relationship between India and Poland began in 1954. In 1957, India established its embassy in Warsaw.

A Little Poland In India

The Second World War left Poland only as a dark outline of the country that it once used to be. The country was torn apart by reproachful forces. Civilian refugees, more than half of whom were children and youth, were placed in a series of special transitional centers in various parts of the world. This gave them an opportunity to revive, both physically and psychologically. When the problem of the Polish refugees was discussed in British War Cabinet in London, an Indian Maharaja, Jam Saheb Digvijaysinhji, of Jamnagar (then Nawanagar), within the state of Gujarat, in India was the first to offer to accept about 500 to 1000 Polish orphans within his estate, which was under British rule.

In 1938, the 42-year-old Maharaja Digvijaysinhji, known as ‘Jam Saheb’, the ruler of Nawanagar estate in the Kathiawar area of India, became the head of the Chamber of Princes. He was a skilled Politian and administrator. Due to his meeting in the 1920’s with Ignacy Paderewski, a Polish politician and advocate of Polish independence, Jam Saheb had a great familiarity with the Polish culture. His decision to accept Polish orphans under his care allowed multitudes of Polish refugees to find a new home in India.

During that time, Indian princes were largely self-governing within their territories. The Maharaja therefore could adopt and take care of as many refugees as he wanted to, without asking anyone’s permission. He decided to build housing for approximately 1,000 Polish orphans at his summer residence in Balachadi.

He also established the Polish Children Fund for the exiles. Furthermore, as the president of the Chamber of Princes, he was also able to convince many other local Indian monarchs and noblemen to provide the funding required. He managed to collect more than eighty donors. The residence was situated near Jamnagar in Balachadi village. After this, the next concern was that these children needed to be transported to Balachadi. These children were often distributed, emaciated, ill and alone. They often ended up in orphanages in the Soviet Union. They had to be located and gathered up in the Soviet Union. As a result of the hard work of the staff of the Polish Consulate in Mumbai, the Polish children from these orphanages were sent to India mostly in several groups via Iran and Afghanistan in 1942.

The settlement in Balachadi was the first permanent centre built specifically for the Polish orphans. The settlement project started in April 1942, and was implemented at a fast pace. The first group of children started to arrive by mid-July 1942. Other children arrived later, in smaller groups. The ages of the children residing in Balachadi ranged from 2 to 15 years. As the children grew, they were transferred to another settlement in Valivade, near Kolhapur city. As adults, they could stay there for as long as they served a detailed function in the care and education of the children.

The establishment at Balachadi was officially closed in November 1946. The children still in residence at Balachadi were moved to the settlement in Valivade, which later became the largest center for Poles in India.

India & Poland’s Relationship Under the European Union

The European Union and India were both born out of a great vision. Europe sought peace and stability while India wanted independence. Today, both of them are at a crossroads: they need to set new strategic goals in order to find a place for themselves in the emerging network-based world order. Both would benefit from stronger mutual relations - Europe as India's primary ally in the Western world, and India as Europe's strategic partner in Asia.

It is important to analyze the physical parameters of India and Poland in order to understand their relations. In terms of size, India is almost ten times larger than Poland and the population is more than thirty times that of Poland. There is also an enormous gap in the GDP of both countries. This, of course, does not mean that cooperation between the two is not possible; the doubt is whether the partnership of a dwarf and a giant can be called strategic in nature and if this partnership will not smack of disdainful courtesy on the part of a giant?

After coming out from the shackles of Soviet domination, Poland joined the EU. The EU strengthened the limbs not only of Poland but also of all countries of Europe so much that stilts are not needed anymore. Moreover, the skills to operate in these new circumstances are more important. It should be obvious to anyone that partner status countries like the US, China, India, Brazil, and Japan changed radically after Poland's accession to the EU. This has been explicitly acknowledged by Radoslaw Sikorski, Poland's former Minister of Foreign Affairs, in an interview with reference to the US and China. In another interview, the Foreign Minister said, “The most important is to restore to Europe her competitiveness. In China, wherefrom I have just returned, I have become convinced again that we can do it only together — Europe as a whole.”

Poland markets itself as an attractive gateway to the European Union and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) markets. It is already India's largest trading partner in Central Europe and willing to adopt Free Trade Area Agreement along with the European Union regulations. Poland is an important country within the new Europe with whom India had excellent relations during the socialist period and continues to have very close ties. It seems that the importance of Poland is still not fully realized by Indian policymakers. This is a major country representing 'new Europe' within the EU. The Polish economic transformation to a market economy in the early 1990s coincided with the Indian economic reforms.

The Polish model of economic transformation is generally seen as a successful experiment. In the last decade, the country has been one of the highest growing economies in Europe and its economic linkages with India have grown significantly in the last few years. Despite economic problems with the Eurozone economies, Poland is very positive about its future within the broader European project. So, if there is any major breakthrough in the proposed India-EU broad-based trade and investment agreement, India-Poland economic ties will witness a significant positive impact.