New Delhi, March 17 (H.S): New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon stated on Monday that there have been significant changes in circumstances since World War II, and India should be granted permanent membership in the United Nations Security Council. He mentioned that his country supports India’s candidacy.
While on a visit to India, Luxon jointly inaugurated the Raisina Dialogue conference with Prime Minister Modi in the capital today. He said that India and New Zealand have an important role to play in maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. He added that during discussions with the Prime Minister, they talked about a roadmap to enhance the relations between the two countries.
The Raisina Dialogue is India’s premier conference addressing challenging issues facing the international community in geopolitics and geoeconomics. Its 10th edition is being held from March 17 to 19. New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon attended the inaugural session as a chief guest and delivered a keynote speech. The theme for the 2025 edition is Timelines – People, Peace, and Planet.
He noted that during the discussions, they also considered enhancing military and scientific cooperation. They decided to advance negotiations for a free trade agreement between the two countries. The visiting leader emphasized the importance of maintaining free navigation and a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region.
During the inaugural session, Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar expressed gratitude, stating that the global order is undergoing a significant upheaval. This period requires leadership capabilities. He underscored the need to work towards an order that fosters new ideas and continuous innovative solutions. The Foreign Minister found the guest leader’s thoughts on the Indo-Pacific to be very valuable.
The 10th Raisina Dialogue is being attended by representatives from around 125 countries, including ministers, former heads of state and government, military commanders, CEOs from industries, technology leaders, academics, journalists, strategic affairs scholars, experts from major think tanks, and youth. In total, more than 3,500 participants are engaged in the dialogue in person.
Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
