New Zealand FM Nanaia Mahuta on India visit to usher in 'new phase' of bilateral relations

New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta will be in India on a four-day visit this week. Mahuta, 52, is the first Maori woman to head the Foreign Affairs portfolio. She left for India on Monday, celebrated in New Zealand as Waitangi Day, the national day of the country. Mahuta is scheduled to meet Indian Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar on February 7. The purpose of the visit is to usher in a 'new phase' in India-New Zealand relations, New Zealand-based news website Stuff.nz reported. 

Nanaia Mahuta's India visit comes at a critical time for her country. New Zealand is going through a flux since Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand's Prime Minister since 2017 resigned on January 19, 2023. Ardern was replaced by Chris Hipkins. 

 “When Minister Jaishankar visited Aotearoa New Zealand last year, we both agreed that the relationship was ready for its next phase. I look forward to building on this momentum and sharing our progress to join the International Solar Alliance, which India and France established in 2015 to promote solar energy cooperation and climate action globally,” Mahuta said in a statement on Sunday.

Reports say the New Zealand Foreign Minister will also meet Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar and Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda. Mahuta has earlier called India New Zealand's most important partner. 

‘New Zealand and India share an energetic relationship’: Mahuta 

According to Stuff.nz, Mahuta has described New Zealand's relationship with India as “energetic and vibrant”. “We share strong people-to-people links with more than 240,000 people of Indian descent calling New Zealand home,” the Foreign Minister has been quoted saying. “We also share ambitious goals between our countries and I will be reinforcing our commitment to supporting closer private sector collaboration and improved air services,” she added.

As per reports, Mahuta is expected to return to Wellington on February 12.