Wellington: President Droupadi Murmu and New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on Thursday reaffirmed their commitment to enhance bilateral ties, especially in education, trade and culture.
Murmu arrived in New Zealand on Wednesday on the second leg of her three-nation tour. She was accorded Royal Guard of Honour on her arrival in the country.
"A boost to India-New Zealand partnership! President Droupadi Murmu @rashtrapatibhvn held discussions with PM @chrisluxonmp of New Zealand. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing bilateral ties, especially in education, trade and culture," the Ministry of External Affairs posted on X.
Earlier in the day, Murmu met New Zealand's Governor General Dame Cindy Kiro and Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters to discuss friendly bilateral ties and ways to enhance cooperation across various sectors.
"President Droupadi Murmu held a meeting with Governor General Dame Cindy Kiro of New Zealand. Both leaders hailed the warm and friendly relationship between the two countries and discussed cooperation across various sectors," the President's Office said in a post on X.
Later, Peters, who is also the Foreign Minister, called on President Murmu.
"Both leaders acknowledged the progress in bilateral relations and deliberated upon ways of enhancing cooperation in several areas," her office said.
Murmu also addressed the New Zealand International Education Conference in Wellington.
During her address, the president spoke about the transformative power of education.
"Education has always been close to my heart. I have seen and experienced first-hand, the transformative power of education. Education is not just an individual endeavour, but also a vehicle for social change and nation building," she said.
In 21st-century India, the education system plays a significant role, she said.
India has produced leaders in diverse fields who are contributing not only in India but also around the world, she said.
Today, India has a young aspirational demography, geared towards gaining quality education, the President said.
"Indian parents aspire for the best possible education for their children, and it is indeed welcome that many Indian students are gaining access to quality education at various institutions in New Zealand. 8,000 Indian students are pursuing various courses across New Zealand - making it the second largest group of international students here," she said.
New Zealand is renowned for its high-quality education with a particular focus on research and innovation, inclusivity and excellence, Murmu said.
The New Zealand Education Conference offers a great opportunity to continue strengthening the ongoing cooperation in education and also for exploring newer areas of cooperation, she added.