India’s global appeal was on full display this week as Narendra Modi and Anthony Albanese hugged and exuded camaraderie at an event in Sydney.
The Australian prime minister said the enthusiasm with which diaspora members welcomed his Indian counterpart at the community reception on May 23, 2023, was no less than the fanfare legendary singer Bruce Springsteen once drew while performing in Sydney.
Earlier in the week, Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape welcomed Modi in Port Moresby in true Indian tradition by touching his feet as a sign of respect.
He later hailed Modi as a global champion. “We are victims of global powerplay…You (PM Modi) are the leader of Global South. We will rally behind your leadership at global forums,” he said.
Modi has put India front and centre on the world stage in the last nine years since he became prime minister in 2014. Various international surveys have pegged him as the most popular world leader. Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has also acknowledged the Indian leader’s “focus on building global relations”.
“As a result, the relationship between New Zealand and India has been growing stronger, and there is a massive potential for growth in the times to come. Both nations care for our democratic traditions and share an interest in a peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific region,” she said at 2022 Kiwi-Indian Hall of Fame awards in Auckland.
Modi’s appeal cuts across party lines in Aotearoa. At a recent event commemorating 100 episodes of Modi’s flagship radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’, National MP Simon O’Connor described him as an “incredibly popular politician”.
“Ever since PM Modi has taken over India’s governance, he has proved himself as an incredibly popular politician through the work and the leadership he has been providing the nation with, as well as the inspiration to New Zealand and other countries across the world. While there are several challenges against him by the international media, he is a very secular leader who engages with the people of all the communities and believes in equality among all,” he said.
Act Party leader David Seymour has underscored India’s democratic credibility. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inspired a very close following for many millions of people, and those people are getting well served by him and he is doing the best for the world…because India has a very important role to play not just for the Indian people but for the entire world. We need a strong democratic power and India can provide that,” he said at 2022 Kiwi-Indian Hall of Fame awards.
This week, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins reinvigorated discussions around the possibility of a trade partnership with India. The two leaders met in Papua New Guinea May 22 on the sidelines of two Pacific summits, after which Hipkins said he will be taking up an offer from Modi to visit the country and talk about a potential free trade agreement.
He later told RNZ he will not be able to get to India before the October election, but Trade Minister Damien O'Connor would visit pre-election.
"I think there are opportunities for us to continue to broaden and deepening our trading relationship," Hipkins said.