“It is said that oceans don’t divide, they unite. So, as far as the oceans are concerned, India and New Zealand are neigbours because it is the same waters that wash our shores. My visit here was to meet the NZ Navy personnel, interact with them and see how we can take the cooperation forward in the aspects of keeping the maritime domain safe, secure and free for everyone to use,” said Admiral R. Hari Kumar, India’s Chief of Naval Staff.
Admiral Hari Kumar was speaking at a reception hosted by the High Commission of India at the residence of Bhav Dhillon, the Honorary Consul in Auckland, on October 1.
The last Indian ship to visit NZ was in 2016, the Admiral noted.
“After that, we also had a sail ship visiting Lyttleton, which was manned by [two] ladies. We couldn’t send a ship this year because we had a tight programme. But I promise you, we’ll have a ship [visiting NZ] next year. It will be a ship made in India, as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat [Self-reliant India scheme] of the Prime Minister.
“We intend to send a ship, not just to visit Auckland, but Wellington as well, where NZ’s seat of government is,” Admiral Hari Kumar added.
Welcoming the move, Mr Dhillon said: “Events like that broaden and deepen the relationship we have between India and NZ. These visits are very important and add to the people-to-people friendship we already have in our 300,000-strong diaspora.”
Picking up on the powhiri (Maori welcome) accorded to Admiral Hari Kumar on his arrival in NZ, Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Ethnic Communities and Youth Priyanca Radhakrishnan said: “I’m pleased that you had a traditional powhiri or welcome, and were welcomed into Maori culture, because that means a fair bit here. There are values that link us as well, values around Manaakitanga or hospitality, as is said in Te Reo Maori and Atithi Devo Bhava in India.
“The oceans, as you mentioned, connect us. And above all, I feel, it’s our people. Because we have five per cent of NZ that’s made up of New Zealanders of Indian origin, all of us. And I feel that, above everything, is the incredibly strong connection between our two countries.”
There is much in terms of Indo-Pacific security that the two countries have in common, the minister noted.
Mr Dhillon then informed the gathering that the Indian High Commission Second Secretary, Mr Manoj Kumar Sahu, bore greetings from the High Commissioner, Smt Neeta Bhushan, who had “touched down in NZ” barely hours ago.
Simon O’Connor, National Member of Parliament from Tamaki, was then invited to speak.
“We are a small country. We have small military forces. We rely on our friends, and India is one of those friends… NZ is a small player, we are a small country. But I think everyone here will agree [that] we have big hearts. And we share the same values that India does, and we value that relationship,” O’Connor said.
The evening closed with Akhilesh Menon, Defence Adviser of the Government of India for NZ (based in Canberra), requesting Admiral Hari Kumar to hand over souvenirs to the hosts, Mr and Mrs Dhillon, as well as to Minister Radhakrishnan and MP O’Connor.