WELLINGTON:  External Affairs minister of India S. Jaishankar, addressing the Indian community in New Zealand, said that there are possibilities for increased cooperation between India and New Zealand in various sectors like business, digital and education.

"Stronger co-operation will ensure peace, wealth and progress of our common region. In business, digital, agriculture, education, skills, traditional medicine, and maritime security, there are a lot of opportunities "Jaishankar tweeted as his first trip to New Zealand was coming to an end.

On Sunday, when the new Indian High Commission Chancery was opened in Wellington, the minister said that the relationship between the two countries needs to be "updated" and "refreshed." India is New Zealand's 11th largest trading partner, with a total value of USD 1.80 billion in trade between the two countries in the year ending in September 2020. India is a growing market for New Zealand in the areas of education and tourism.

India's main exports are logs and other forest products, wood pulp, wool, and fruit and nuts that can be eaten. Most of the things India sends to New Zealand are medicines, precious metals and gems, textiles, cars, and non-knitted clothing and accessories.

"The smarter way for us to grow as a couple is to play to each other's strengths. We need to find ways to do more business with each other because, in the end, business is good for any relationship. For once, a business relationship that has a strong business foundation is really strong and stable "During the opening of the new Indian High Commission Chancery in Wellington, he made this statement.

Media reports say that several New Zealand companies, such as Rakon, Glidepath, and RML Engineering, have responded to the Indian government's call to "Make in India" by investing in setting up operations in the country.

"India is open for business, we would like to see more of New Zealand, and there are areas where your experiences, best practises, and skills can make a big difference. And if those were used in India in some way, such as through your own efforts, partnerships with Indians, or joint ventures, it would be something we would appreciate and you would gain from "Jaishankar said.

Earlier, at the "Vishwa Sadbhavana" event, which was part of the Kiwi Indian Hall of Fame awards, Jaishankar said, "Loving and respecting the Indian diaspora is now an important part of India's foreign policy." About 5 percent of the people living in New Zealand are Indian. A report from the Ministry of External Affairs says that there are 240,000 Indians living in New Zealand. Of these, 1.6 lakh are from India and 80,000 were born there. Hindi is the fifth language most people in New Zealand speak.

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