New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta arrives in India
Feb 07, 2023
New Delhi [India], February 7 : New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta was 'warmly' welcomed by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday.
Taking to Twitter, Jaishankar said, "Warm welcome to New Zealand Foreign Minister @NanaiaMahuta. bhaart meN aapkaa svaagt hai (We welcome you in India)"
Mahuta, who is on a 4-day visit to India, is expected to meet with Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar and Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda. She will also travel to Mumbai to promote New Zealand's education, trade, and tourism interests in India's commercial and industrial capital, according to New Zealand's Foreign Ministry's Statement.
"Reconnecting New Zealand remains a key priority as we look to strengthen our economic resilience and progress ties with our international partners," Nanaia Mahuta said.
"Aotearoa New Zealand and India have an energetic and vibrant relationship. We share strong people-to-people links with more than 240,000 people of Indian descent calling New Zealand home," she added.
New Zealand Foreign Minister also stated that India and her country share ambitious goals between the countries and will be reinforcing the commitment to supporting closer private-sector collaboration and improved air services. The visit will also provide an opportunity to progress indigenous engagement, following initial discussions by Minister Whaitiri during her visit last year.
With a focus on economic recovery and resilience, I will meet with the Chair of the India New Zealand Business Council and host a roundtable with NZTE representatives. These discussions will allow me to underline our strategy for lifting our bilateral commercial and economic ties, Mahuta said.
New Zealand sees India as a core and influential partner in the Indo-Pacific and we have welcomed their participation in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. This framework offers a key vehicle for engaging with India as part of a broader regional agenda, according to the statement.
"Both of our countries value each other's perspectives on the Pacific region and we will discuss opportunities to work together on climate change and our views on regional security," she added.
"When Minister Jaishankar visited Aotearoa New Zealand last year, we both agreed that the relationship was ready for its next phase. I look forward to building on this momentum and sharing our progress to join the International Solar Alliance, which India and France established in 2015 to promote solar energy cooperation and climate action globally," Nanaia Mahuta said.
Nanaia Mahuta will return to New Zealand on February 12.