New Delhi: Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern, has invited PM Narendra Modi to visit her country. She extended this invitation while participating in the ‘Vishwa Sadbhavana’ event which was a part of the Kiwi Indian Hall of Fame awards, jointly organised by the NID Foundation and the Indian Weekender in Auckland.
During the event, two books depicting Prime Minister Modi’s unique and hugely successful governance were also unveiled, in the presence of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
In her address, Ardern said that New Zealand and India share a lot of things among them. She said that the relationship between the two countries has been growing stronger and there is a massive potential for growth in the times to come.
“In a world that is becoming increasingly volatile, New Zealand and India share a lot of things. Both the nations care for our democratic traditions and share an interest in a peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific region”, said Ardern, as quoted by IANS.
“We share a concern for climate change and we have similar passions for celebrating different cultures and traditions. Engagements like today’s, not only deepen our relationship but also progresses our aspirations,” she added.
Ardern said this year marks the 70th anniversary of the diplomatic relationship between India and New Zealand.
“We look to the opportunities that we have from this moment forward to strengthen our ties further. First and foremost, the integral bridge or foundation between our two countries in my mind, will always be our people,” PTI quoted Ardern.
She noted that the Indian community first settled in New Zealand in the 1890s but has since become one of New Zealand’s largest ethnic communities, accounting for about 5% of the country’s population.
“It’s no surprise that Hindi is our fifth most spoken language.”
According to PTI, about 2,50,000 persons of Indian origin are living in New Zealand. A vast majority of them have made the country their permanent home.
(With inputs from agencies)