New Delhi: The fallout of trade and security policies of the Donald Trump administration in the US, the reshaping of the global order and the conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia are set to dominate this year’s edition of the Raisina Dialogue, India’s flagship conference on geopolitics and geo-economics that begins on Monday.
Following the formal inauguration of the three-day event by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will deliver the keynote address as chief guest at the inaugural session.
The Raisina Dialogue, which is in its 10th year and is organised by the external affairs ministry and the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), has drawn representatives from more than 120 countries, including ministers, former heads of state and government, military commanders, business and technology leaders and academics.
The event is being joined by foreign ministers of some 20 countries, including Ukraine, the Maldives, Nepal, Bhutan, Peru, Norway, Estonia, Sweden, Hungary and Ghana.
The theme of this year’s edition is “Kālachakra – People, Peace and Planet” and the event will focus on six thematic pillars – Politics Interrupted, Resolving the Green Trilemma, Digital Planet, Militant Mercantilism, The Tiger’s Tale, and Investing in Peace.
Luxon arrived in New Delhi on Sunday for a five-day official visit along with a high-level delegation that includes ministers, businesses and members of the Indian diaspora. This is his first visit to India and he will also travel to Mumbai during March 19-20 for interactions with business leaders.
External affairs minister S Jaishankar met Luxon on Sunday evening. “Appreciate his commitment to further deepening our longstanding ties,” Jaishankar said in a social media post.
Modi and Luxon will hold talks on Monday to review bilateral relations. Luxon’s visit underscores the longstanding ties between India and New Zealand and “reaffirms the continued commitment of both countries to further strengthen the bilateral relationship across all sectors”, the external affairs ministry said.
India and New Zealand announced the resumption of negotiations for a comprehensive and mutually beneficial free trade agreement (FTA) at a meeting between commerce minister Piyush Goyal and his counterpart Todd McClay on Sunday.
Ahead of his arrival in New Delhi, Luxon said strengthening bilateral economic ties, including securing a trade deal, and bolstering security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific would be focus areas of his visit. He said his government worked hard over the past year to rebuild the relationship with India and is keen to deepen engagement with the world’s fastest growing major economy.
India-New Zealand trade was valued at $1.75 billion in 2023-24.