The Indian Weekender, 28 May 2021

4 NEW ZEALAND
India-NZ Foreign Office
Consultation held online:
Affirm commitment to
advance bilateral ties
• From Page 3
Notably, Joint Trade Committee has been an existing
foreign policy mechanism between the two countries
that has for some time been working under the broader
framework of RCEP and FTA discussions.
Mr Parsehi said both sides had shown a keen desire
to revitalise that committee in a manner to create
synergies for deepening trade and investment between
two countries without any seemingly restrictive
framework.
It clearly reflects a mindset and willingness on both
sides to sidestep any perceived setback from creating
a mutually workable free trade regime either within
RCEP or directly under FTA.
“Virtual diplomacy” in age of Covid –
Indian envoy shares insights
Sharing further insight on the changing nature of
“virtual diplomacy,” Mr Pardeshi said, “Like everyone
else, we diplomats are also adjusting with the changes
brought around by the Covid pandemic and relying
more on digital platforms.”
“On one hand, this has enhanced our abilities to
engage with foreign diplomats from otherwise distant
regions of the world, which was previously not
possible, thereby enhancing the level of engagement
between countries in a Covid world,” MR Pardeshi
said.
“However, on the flip side, the otherwise available
special tools such as ‘corridor diplomacy’ or ‘pullaside-diplomacy’
which diplomats all around the
world have been employing to deepen the engagement
or weeding out some differences are being lost in the
new era of virtual diplomacy,” Mr Pardeshi said with
a smile.
Friday, May 28, 2021
The Indian Weekender
Wellington Phoenix to defend
Auckland fortress in Eden Park
stadium this weekend
SANDEEP SINGH
Wellington Phoenix will defend
their Auckland fortress after 470
days away in one of only two
home fixtures this season against Perth Glory
on Sunday, May 30.
This will be after another Trans-Tasman
sporting action where Blues will face off
against the Brumbies in round three of
Super Rugby on Saturday making Eden
Park stadium the place to be with a stacked
double-header of trans-Tasman sporting
action on the line-up.
Eden Park CEO Nick Sautner is calling all
sport lovers dying for some real-action and
Trans-Tasman rivalry on display to come to
national stadium.
Wellington Phoenix has remained
undefeated in Auckland and Nick Sautner is
calling all soccer fans to come in and support
the team.
“We’re delighted to welcome the
Wellington Phoenix back to Eden Park in
what’s sure to be a celebration for New
Zealand football fans.
“The Wellington Phoenix remain
undefeated at New Zealand’s national stadium
and this fixture provides an opportunity to
fill the stands with a sea of yellow as tens
of thousands of Phoenix fans descend upon
Eden Park for the first time in more than 15
months,” says Sautner.
The event, says Sautner, marks a new era
for the beautiful game at Eden Park, which
will host the opening matches of FIFA World
Cup 2022/23.
This weekend’s double-header also signals
the return of international sporting content to
Eden Park. Over the last two months, seven
fixtures have been added to the venue’s event
schedule, including three Super Rugby Trans-
Tasman fixtures, the Wellington Phoenix and
three All Blacks test matches. Tournaments
originally shifted from 2021 to 2022 are also
now being confirmed, including RWC 2022.
“After a challenging year of Covid
restrictions and cancellations, it’s very
encouraging to see the return of premium
international content to Eden Park,” says
Sautner.
“A year ago, we were just emerging from
lockdown. So, to see these fixtures returning
is very welcome not only for us, but for our
members and partners who have continued
to support us through unparalleled times,”
Sautner said.
Meanwhile Eden Park and Auckland
Unlimited have teamed up to give one lucky
fan the chance to experience the weekend’s
action up close and personal, with 1 x night’s
stay in Eden Park’s Staydium Glamping
domes (Sunday 30 May), 2 x tickets to the
Blues v Brumbies (29 May), 2 x tickets to
the Wellington Phoenix v Perth Glory (30
May), $100 dining voucher, Signed rugby
ball and a Blues jersey, and The Blues game
day experience.
Enter now at aucklandnz.com/win.
(Competition closes 27 May, Ts & Cs
apply.)
INZBC to examine the new decade of
action, in its first-ever hybrid Summit
IWK BUREAU
At the beginning of this new decade,
new realities have emerged: a world
post-Brexit, RCEP, COVID, Trump
and other geopolitical changes is now our new
normal. In this new world order, both India and
New Zealand are well-positioned to work and
strive together for mutual benefit.
Keeping this in mind, the India New Zealand
Business Council (INZBC) aims to make this
into a ‘Decade of Action’ for the New Zealand-
India relationship with their upcoming annual
Summit to be held on 23 - 24 June 2021.
Adapting to changing times, the first INZBC
Summit of the ’20s will be a hybrid summit
that will be held at a physical venue as well as
broadcasted virtually.
Attendees will get to interact with each other
face-to-face one the first day at The Trusts
Arena in Henderson, Auckland.
The second day is entirely virtually, link
for which will be sent to attendees upon
registration. To buy tickets at https://www.
inzbusinesssummit.com
The Summit will bring together influential
Ministers, policymakers, diplomats from across
India and New Zealand to focus on various
issues of diplomacy & trade that affect the new
world order.
It aims to provide a deeper and meaningful
dialogue at a diplomatic level, by moving the
conversation away from the FTA and to find
new, innovative ways of collaboration on
diplomacy and trade.
Championing the cause of educating kiwi
businesses of on-the-ground realities of doing
business with India, the team at INZBC
continues to work closely with government
agencies like the Ministry for Foreign Affairs
& Trade, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise,
Education NZ, Indian High Commission.
The Summit will cover four main themes,
which will be examined by the speakers over
the two days.
Panel Discussion: Indo-Pacific
strategic ties
The first panel discussion of the INZBC
Summit will focus on the power dynamics in
the Indo-Pacific.
Examining India’s involvement and
relevance in the region along with New
Zealand’s dynamic and strategic importance, an
ensemble of speakers will decode the shifting
geopolitics in the region.
Experienced diplomats and public sector
leaders will examine the future of rule-based
trade and international security in the Indo-
Pacific.
Panel Discussion: Globalisation,
post COVID-19
The second panel discussion of the summit
will examine the impact of post COVID policy
changes and initiatives on globalisation. With
the global community continuing to reel from
the effects of the pandemic, what does the
future look like for international trade?
Speakers from across the public and private
sector will compare different avenues of future
trade - collaboration, strategic partnerships, IP
sharing, against a trade that’s solely reliant on
import and export.
The panel discussion will also examine the
growth of the indigenous and Maori economy
by the Indian and New Zealand government
respectively.
Panel Discussion: Trade
Regulations – The New Normal
On day 2, this virtual panel discussion
will explore the future of trade regulations.
Speakers from across dairy, pharmaceutical,
politics and food industry will examine the
future of trade between India and New Zealand.
Will it be more bilateral or multilateral trade
agreements between nations and how will this
affect relationships between the two countries?
Panel Discussion: Services
Sector – Changing scenarios and
challenges
Service sectors like education, tourism and
sporting industries are the biggest casualties of
this pandemic.
While these sectors contribute a significant
percentage to the Indian and New Zealand
economy, a lack of movement has hindered
growth within these sectors.
The INZBC Summit has brought together
local and international experts for this virtual
discussion, who will examine the current
biggest challenges faced by the service sector
and present best case scenarios, solutions and a
way forward for these industries.
For more information about the Summit,
head over to https://www.inzbusinesssummit.
com.
The website has details on each panel
discussion and speakers.
Details of the Summit as below:
Day1: Wednesday, 23 June 2021
[Physical + Virtual; Trust Arena
Conference Centre, West Auckland]
Day2: Thursday, 24 June 2021 [Virtual
Only]
Time: 5pm to 8pm NZT [Both Days]