New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has commended the Indian community in his country for their substantial contributions, noting their prominence in skilled migration, education, and business.
His remarks came during his ongoing visit to India, where he is leading the largest-ever delegation of community and business leaders to accompany a New Zealand prime minister abroad.
"The Indian community is the third-largest ethnic group in New Zealand, India is our largest source of skilled migrants, and our second-largest source of international students. In short, Indian-Kiwis make a massive contribution to New Zealand, and I'm proud of what this community does for our country," Luxon stated in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Luxon, who arrived in New Delhi on Sunday for a five-day official visit, will serve as the chief guest at the 10th edition of the Raisina Dialogue, where he is slated to deliver the keynote address.
The high-profile event, India’s premier geopolitical and geo-economic conference, will take place from 17 to 19 March.
Also read: NZ PM Luxon to arrive for Raisina Dialogue, Mumbai meetings
During his visit, Luxon met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who acknowledged his commitment to strengthening Indo-New Zealand ties.
"Pleased to call on PM @chrisluxonmp of New Zealand. Appreciate his commitment to further deepening our longstanding ties. Looking forward to his participation as Chief Guest in #RaisinaDialogue2025," Jaishankar remarked.
In response, Luxon reiterated the shared objectives of both nations in ensuring regional stability. "India and New Zealand share a goal of a stable, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific. This is what External Affairs Minister @DrSJaishankar and I spoke about upon my arrival into Delhi," he stated.
The visit is expected to further fortify the diplomatic relations between the two nations, which were formally established in 1952. Both countries, members of the Commonwealth, share a common legal framework and democratic governance traditions.
In a significant development, India and New Zealand have announced the launch of negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
The discussions are anticipated to pave the way for enhanced trade and economic cooperation between the two nations.
Tourism and sports, particularly cricket, hockey, and mountaineering, have played an instrumental role in fostering goodwill between the two countries.
New Zealand’s "Opening Doors to India" policy, first outlined in 2011 and reaffirmed in 2015, underscores its commitment to strengthening ties with India.
During his visit, Luxon is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House, where an exchange of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) will take place.
Later in the day, he will also call upon President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
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