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New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters is embarking on a diplomatic mission to India, departing on March 10. The visit includes key stops in Ahmedabad and New Delhi, with a focus on extended meetings with Foreign Minister, S. Jaishankar.
"In Ahmedabad, Peters plans to meet with Bhupendrabhai Patel, the Chief Minister of Gujarat, a state that has been an engine of Indian economic growth and has significant connections to New Zealand's Indian diaspora. In Delhi, he will also be highlighting the shared interest that New Zealand and India have in helping the development of the Pacific Islands region," the New Zealand government said in a press release. "India is a country with which New Zealand can, should and will be doing more. New Zealand recognises the global and regional leadership role that India plays, and we are determined to build a broader, deeper, mutually beneficial relationship," Peters stated in the press release. As per the press release, "The Coalition Government is making South and Southeast Asia a priority because it is critical to maintaining and building New Zealand's security and prosperity. "We intend for the New Zealand Government to bring greater focus and energy to South and Southeast Asia--a fast-growing region with significant further potential for our country," Peters stated in his statements in the press release. During the upcoming diplomatic mission, the focal points of Foreign Minister Winston Peters' itinerary will be extended meetings with the Foreign Ministers of India, Indonesia, and Singapore: S Jaishankar, Retno Marsudi, and Vivian Balakrishnan. "It will be a privilege to spend further time with three such experienced and accomplished foreign ministers whose views on the issues facing the world and the Indo-Pacific in particular carry considerable weight. If New Zealand wishes to maximise our influence and impact in the region, we need to lift our game with all three of India, Indonesia and Singapore," the press release reads. "Peters leaves on March 10-13, for Indonesia (Jakarta) on March 14-15, and Singapore on March 15 before returning to New Zealand on Saturday, March 16," the itinerary mentioned in the press release. In Jakarta, Peters will meet with Indonesian leaders to discuss strengthening the two countries' ties further in 2024. "Indonesia will be among the world's top 10 economies by 2030 and there is considerable potential to increase our two-way trade, including through halal recognition and resolving barriers to trade. Indonesia shapes the region and the world," Peters says. Peters' visit is also an opportunity to acknowledge the fifth anniversary of the March 15 terror attacks. "Jakarta was the first capital I visited following the March 15 attacks in 2019, and Indonesian Foreign Minister Marsudi was instrumental in helping New Zealand engage with the Muslim world in the weeks following. It is appropriate that we return to the capital of the world's most populous Muslim country on this anniversary," Peter added. In Singapore, Peters will also meet Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen and Richard Chandler, the New Zealand-born chair of Singapore conglomerate Clermont Group. "New Zealand and Singapore have a strong, long-standing relationship that requires further effort to ensure it is realising its full potential. We intend to talk to partners in Singapore next week about priority developments in our region, and further areas where we can cooperate," Peter said.(ANI)
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