New Zealand PM Christopher Luxon Praises India's Economic Growth and Calls for Deeper Business Ties
Strengthening India-New Zealand Relations
Auckland: On Saturday, New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon commended India's remarkable economic progress and encouraged businesses from both nations to enhance their collaboration to unlock new markets and trade avenues.
Luxon shared these insights during an event titled 'India-New Zealand: A Winning Partnership', which was also attended by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was visiting New Zealand for two days.
Expressing his admiration for India, Luxon mentioned that he has been a long-time admirer of the country.
"My first visit to India was in my mid-20s while working with Unilever, which owns Hindustan Unilever, a leading company in India," he recounted to a select audience of CEOs and business leaders.
Reflecting on his experiences from the mid-to-late 90s, he noted that wages were often paid in coins back then.
"Under Prime Minister Modi's leadership, 250 million people have been lifted out of poverty, and the middle class has grown to 440 million, with projections of reaching 750 million by the decade's end," he remarked, describing this as an 'incredible transformation'.
"Having visited India numerous times, witnessing the shift from low income to middle and high income is truly inspiring, especially as the 1.4 billion Indian population continues to prosper," he added.
Luxon highlighted several sectors ripe for collaboration between India and New Zealand, including food production, tourism, education, and technology.
He referenced Austrian neurologist Victor Frankl's assertion that government, business, and community leaders are pivotal in society, urging these groups to unite to seize the vast opportunities available between the two nations.
"I encourage all of you to take responsibility for this relationship, and I wish you success in exploring new markets and opportunities through collaboration," Luxon advised the business leaders.
He urged New Zealand companies to visit India to better understand its consumers, whom he described as 'the most discerning' globally.
"Study the markets, identify suitable partners, and adapt your products and services to create opportunities in both India and New Zealand," he suggested.
Prime Minister Modi also spoke at the event, inviting New Zealand's business community to invest across various sectors of the Indian economy.
He underscored the shared democratic values, diversity, and commitment to sustainable development between the two nations as a strong foundation for a progressive economic partnership.
Modi also discussed the India-New Zealand free trade agreement signed in April, which aims to enhance bilateral economic relations and create new opportunities for market access, investment, and talent mobility.
In addition, Modi and Luxon engaged in extensive discussions that resulted in 18 significant outcomes, including the elevation of their bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership.