Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon jointly inaugurated the tenth edition of Raisina Dialogue, India’s premier conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics, here on Monday.

The Raisina Dialogue, hosted annually by the Ministry of External Affairs in partnership with the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), serves as a multilateral platform where heads of state, cabinet ministers, diplomats, corporate leaders, media professionals, and scholars come together to assess the evolving geopolitical landscape.

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The conference which will be held here from March 17-19, will be attended by deputy prime ministers/foreign ministers of nearly 20 countries, including the Foreign Minister of Ukraine.

In his keynote address, Luxon said India and New Zealand are so fortunate to live in one of the most economically dynamic regions in the world addig that the Indo-Pacific represents two-thirds of global economic growth in the coming years.

India itself is at the centre of this exciting economic future, the New Zealand Prime Minister said.

“Our trade has diversified considerably from wood, thanks to the increased sophistication of your economy. Today, India is a critical source of pharmaceuticals and machinery for us. While we are a great tourism and education destination for you (India),” Luxon said.

“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,” he said.

Luxon underscored the significant presence of the Indian diaspora in New Zealand, pointing out that “New Zealanders of Indian heritage comprise 11 per cent of the people living in Auckland, our biggest city.”

Addressing the gathering, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said Luxon’s perspective on the Indo-Pacific is valuable at a time when the world is debating the nature of the global order.

“I reiterate our deep appreciation for PM Modi’s vision and motivation that has driven the Raisina Dialogue…The world order is undergoing a great churn. This requires leadership, the kind we have in the room today. It requires systems to think differently, honest conversations, fresh ideas and creative solutions…Let the dialogue begin,” the External Affairs Minister added.

Earlier, PM Modi warmly welcomed Luxon, calling it “a matter of immense joy to welcome him.” He described Luxon as “a youthful, dynamic and energetic leader,” and expressed his delight at having him as the Chief Guest at the Raisina Dialogue.

In a post on X, PM Modi reiterated, “It is a matter of immense joy to be welcoming Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to Delhi. It is equally gladdening that such a youthful, dynamic and energetic leader will be the Chief Guest at this year’s Raisina Dialogue.” He also mentioned their earlier discussions, stating, “We had wide-ranging talks earlier today, covering all important sectors relating to India-New Zealand friendship.”

The Raisina Dialogue is structured as a multi-stakeholder, cross-sectoral discussion, involving heads of state, cabinet ministers and local government officials, who are joined by thought leaders from the private sector, media and academia.