Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said Sunday his promised trip to India would take place "very, very shortly".
Addressing thousands gathered at the Krishna Holi Festival in the Auckland town of Kumeu, Luxon reaffirmed a campaign commitment to deepen New Zealand's relationship with India "big time".
The festival was organised by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, colloquially known as the Hare Krishna movement.
"I had the privilege of meeting ... Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi a few weeks back [on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Laos in October] and we liked each other a lot," Luxon told the crowd. "He very kindly invited me to India, and I am going there very, very shortly, taking a whole lot of New Zealanders with me."
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon met his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Laos in October. Photo: Supplied / Prime Minister's office
The prime minister thanked the South Asian diaspora for its contributions to New Zealand.
"You have made New Zealand a much better place," Luxon said. "[We are] richer culturally, socially and economically. We know how hard you work, often taking on two or three jobs to get that first house or to own that first business. You are a great role model to all New Zealanders."
Police Minister Mark Mitchell accompanied Luxon at the festival, making one of his first public appearances in his new role as ethnic communities minister.
"It's a huge honour for me to start my role as the incoming minister of ethnic communities [with this festival]. I can't think of a better way," Mitchell said.
Mitchell highlighted the present-day relevance of the festival, which is a celebration of good overcoming evil.
"The whole point of the [Holi] paint is that we all look the same," he said. "It is a very powerful message for our country at the moment."
