New Delhi: New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon acknowledged the massive impact 'Indian-Kiwis' have had on New Zealand and highlighted the areas they made a mark in. In a social media post, Luxon, who was on a trip to India, noted that Indians were the third-largest ethnic group in the country, the largest source of skilled migrants, and the second-largest source of international students.
Highlighting the significant presence of the Indian diaspora in New Zealand, he pointed out that “New Zealanders of Indian heritage comprise 11 per cent of the people living in Auckland, our biggest city”. The PM was accompanied by a senior delegation of community and business leaders, marking the largest group to ever join a New Zealand PM on a foreign trip.
“In short, Indian-Kiwis make a massive contribution to New Zealand and I’m proud of what this community does for our country. I’ve brought along a senior delegation of community and business leaders here to India – the largest-ever group to accompany a New Zealand PM on a foreign trip. It was great to catch up with them after our arrival and before we kick off our events in Delhi and Mumbai,” he wrote.
Luxon was the chief guest at the 10th edition of the Raisina Dialogue where he also delivered a keynote address, emphasizing the deep-rooted ties between Indians and New Zealanders, tracing back more than two centuries.
“It is more than 200 years since Indians and New Zealanders began living side by side… Just as they were 200 years ago, ‘Kiwi-Indians’ today are fully integrated into our multicultural society,” Luxon stated, underlining the long-standing connection between the two nations.
