Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that for decades India's policy was to maintain equidistance with all the countries, but added that now the country maintains proximity with all the nations.
"For decades, India's policy was to maintain equidistance from all countries. But today's India's policy is to maintain equal proximity to all the nations," PM Modi said during an interaction with the Indian community in Warsaw, Poland.
"Today's India wants to align with everyone. Today's India talks about everybody's development. Today's India with everyone and think in the interest of everyone," he said.
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PM Modi further said that the country is proud that the world is respecting India as a 'Vishwabandhu' (a friend to the world).
The prime minister reiterated India's commitment to peace in the world. "India advocates peace in this region. India's concept is clear- this is not an era of war," he said.
He also announced that India will soon launch the Jam Saheb Memorial Youth Exchange programme, under which the country will invite 20 Polish youths annually to visit India.
PM Modi’s visit to Poland is the first visit of an Indian prime minister to Poland in 45 years.
"After 45 years, an Indian PM has visited Poland...I visited Austria a few months ago, there also, an Indian PM was visiting after 4 decades," he added.
Modi, who arrived in Poland on the first leg of his two-nation visit during which he will also travel to Ukraine, paid his tributes at the memorials for the Valivade-Kolhapur camp and the Monument to the Battle of Monte Cassino in Warsaw on Wednesday.
He also paid homage at the 'Good Maharaja Square,' a monument in memory of the late Maharaja of Jamnagar and the memorial for the Valivade-Kolhapur camp in the Polish capital.