In what can be seen as another milestone in the growing ties between India and New Zealand, Dr Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, Indian Minister of State for External Affairs and Education, arrived in New Zealand this week.
His visits to Auckland, Christchurch and Queenstown along with Indian High Commissioner to New Zealand Neeta Bhushan and Head of Chancery Mukesh Ghiya were marked by interactions with the Indian diaspora, meetings with local officials, and discussions about bilateral cooperation.
The visit commenced on September 24, with Singh’s arrival in Christchurch. A warm and enthusiastic welcome from the Indian diaspora greeted him. The event, organised by community associations like IndianNz Association of Christchurch Inc., Bhartiya Samaj Canterbury, and Christchurch Bengali Community, attracted more than 100 members representing the diverse Indian community.
The event began with a traditional Ganesh Vandana and a Bharatnatyam performance.
High Commissioner Ms Bhushan, in her introduction, hailed this visit as a significant milestone in India-New Zealand relations and said, “In the past year, we have seen a significant increase in high-level exchanges between India and New Zealand. This began with the visit of our Honorable External Affairs Minister, Dr. Jaishankar, in October 2022, followed by the visit of the Honorable Minister Nanaia Mahuta, the Foreign Minister of New Zealand, to India in February 2023.”
Ms Bhushan also praised the contributions of the Indian diaspora in Christchurch, calling it a very special place “not just because of its vibrant Indian community, but also because of the way they have kept the flag of India flying high through their work and their promotion of India in Christchurch.”
She further thanked the Christchurch community “for all that you do to keep the (Indian) culture alive, spread the message of peace and harmony that India stands for, and support each other in times of crisis. I have especially noticed how the community has extended its arms to anyone in need.”
In his address, Singh traced the historical relationship between India and New Zealand, noting, “The friendly and warm relationship between India and New Zealand dates back to the 1890s, when the first Indian immigrant arrived in New Zealand. Since then, our shared Commonwealth heritage, parliamentary democracy, English language, and large Indian diaspora in New Zealand supporting cultural links have bound us together.”
Singh highlighted India’s role as one of the first ASEAN countries to establish a diplomatic post in Wellington in 1952 and said, “Over the last seven decades, India and New Zealand have shared a warm and friendly partnership. Our common value of democracy, the rule of law and aspiration of peace and prosperity for all has provided a solid foundation for our partnership. It is my firm belief that our relationship is set to grow at a rapid pace.”
Turning to economic ties, Singh expressed enthusiasm about joint venture investments, saying, “I am particularly excited about the collaborative projects in the pipeline. This is a testament to the strong relationship between our governments and the trust between our peoples.”
Cultural connections between India and New Zealand were also emphasised, with Singh highlighting the exchange of festivals, Bollywood, and cricket as shared joys.
Talking about academic exchanges between the two nations, Singh said, “I am filled with pride to see the rising number of Indian students choosing New Zealand for higher education. This speaks volumes about the mutual respect our countries have in the academic arena. I envision even more collaboration in research and academic exchanges.”
He added that with the launch of India’s new National Education Policy 2020, there is scope for even more academic exchange and collaboration between universities, institutions, and educational activities.
Saying, ‘Tourism is another potential sector for mutual cooperation,’ Singh called upon the Indian diaspora to “become India’s tourism ambassador to take our Kiwi friends to India, to show them the myriad cultures, landscapes, and histories of India. Likewise, I encourage our new community to be ambassadors of our rich heritage here in New Zealand.”
Minister Singh also mentioned India’s successful and dynamic presidency of the G20 Summit 2023 in New Delhi in his speech. He further highlighted India’s scientific achievements, including Chandrayaan-3’s moon mission. He praised the recent Indian naval ship visits to New Zealand, proudly noting that these ships were designed and manufactured in India.
The Christchurch community meeting ended with an energetic Bhangra performance and refreshments where the Minister and the rest of the delegation interacted with the community.
The following day, the delegation met Christchurch City Council members and the Mayor and discussed ways to enhance cooperation in sectors like business, education and tourism.
In the afternoon, Singh visited Ara, the largest vocational training institute in the South Island of New Zealand. Accompanied by Ms Bhushan, he engaged in an informal session with Ara’s leadership, including Operations Lead Karen Te Puke and Academic Director Deborah Young. The delegation also interacted with academicians and Indian students studying at Ara.
During the visit, discussions revolved around facilitating Indian students’ enrollment processes, recognising equivalent qualifications, and fostering academic exchanges between institutions.
The delegation’s itinerary included a visit to Queenstown, where they met with the local Indian community and also met the Mayor of Queenstown, Glyn Lewers. Both sides discussed opportunities for promoting tourism, including film production, sports, and cultural exchanges between India and the South Island.
The delegation has arrived in Auckland, where Minister Singh will participate in the India Business Summit on 28 September, organised by the Auckland Business Chamber and the High Commission of India. The summit will provide an opportunity to further discussions on strengthening India-New Zealand ties in various sectors.
As the visit progresses, it is clear that the increasing frequency of diplomatic engagement between India and New Zealand is paving the way for a deeper and more multifaceted partnership between the two nations.