 "'Believe in freedom of speech within legal boundaries': PM Luxon on India's concerns over Khalistani activities in New Zealand")
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on Tuesday reaffirmed his country’s commitment to upholding freedom of speech within legal boundaries as he addressed India’s concerns regarding the rising Khalistani activities in his country.
In an exclusive interview to Network 18’s Managing Editor Palki Sharma, Luxon said, “We believe in freedom of speech within legal boundaries. We expect protests to be lawful. If there are violations, our police enforce the law. We understand India’s concerns but also uphold our democratic values. Any actions must comply with New Zealand’s legal framework.”
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Luxon described his relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as “really warm,” highlighting a strong personal rapport and shared objectives aimed at delivering results for their respective populations.
“I think we’ve got a very strong personal relationship. I really enjoy his company. We think very similarly about our objectives and how to deliver results for people. There is a lot of complementarity in this relationship,” said the New Zealand Prime Minister.
Luxon said both India and New Zealand want to deepen defence and security ties, economic and trade ties, and people-to-people connections.
“We spent quite a bit of time in our bilateral meetings talking about the opportunities in education and sport, which help build better societal connections. We both want peace and security in the region because security enables prosperity,” he added.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsTalking about trade, Luxon acknowledged the momentum in discussions, although he refrained from linking it directly to global shifts, including the impact of Donald Trump’s tariff policies.
“We started wanting to change the relationship when I came to power 16 months ago. Even in opposition, I was committed to improving ties with India. I appreciate that the global environment has changed, but there was always a real commitment to deepening this relationship. We moved quickly to build relationships, which led to my state visit and the kickoff of comprehensive FTA agreements. We know there will be sensitive issues, but we are determined to move as quickly as possible,” said Luxon.
When questioned about his remark that “New Zealand is an attractive destination for anyone looking to take shelter from the global storm” and whether it was aimed at Trump, he clarified, “It was just an acknowledgment that the world is more volatile and uncertain. New Zealand is open for trade and investment, a safe haven in a volatile world, and a country that wants to grow. We recently hosted investors from 16 countries, representing $6 trillion in capital, to showcase our investment opportunities. People see New Zealand as a great place to invest.”
Luxon outlined his plans for collaboration with India on Indo-Pacific security, emphasising that while India is positioned on one side of the Indo-Pacific, New Zealand complements that presence from the other end.
“India is on one side of the Indo-Pacific, and New Zealand bookends it on the other. We have strong Pacific and Southeast Asian relationships and close ties with Australia. There is much more we can do in defence and security. We are leading the Command Maritime Force 150 programme, with India as deputy commander. We have a frigate coming to Mumbai this week. Joint exercises and training will help build stronger defence cooperation,” added Luxon.
When asked what sort of threat does the Chinese military pose to regional peace as tensions have built up in the South China Sea and around Taiwan, he said, “We’ve seen increased activity, including a Chinese flotilla in the Tasman Sea and an ICBM missile landing near Tahiti. We’ve lived in a benign environment, but that’s changing. Security is necessary to ensure prosperity. We urge all sides to avoid tensions because conflict causes economic pain and suffering. The war in Ukraine has shown the far-reaching consequences of instability.”
Speaking about his experience in India so far, Luxon described the visit as “absolutely fantastic” and highlighted his warm rapport with PM Modi.
“Meeting Prime Minister Modi, he and I have hit it off very well,” said Luxon.
Luxon emphasised the importance of strengthening ties between India and New Zealand.
“I’ve brought the largest delegation that’s ever accompanied a New Zealand Prime Minister overseas. It has business leaders, community leaders, and also our Indigenous kapa haka Māori performing arts team as well. We’re having a lot of fun, seeing a lot of people, and learning a lot in the process, which will help us set up for the future that we want to see between these two great countries,” he added.
Reflecting on his long-standing admiration for India, Luxon recounted his early exposure to the country while working for Unilever, where he developed a deep respect for the talent emerging from India.
He praised India’s dynamism and innovation, observing the remarkable progress made over the past three decades, particularly in reducing poverty.
“When you think about, as I said yesterday, 250 million people lifted out of poverty — that’s not just a statistic. It represents a real impact on individuals and families, giving them a different set of choices about how they live their lives. That’s what our job as political leaders is — to create opportunities so people get to live better lives. Whether you’re in New Zealand or India, it’s the same challenge,” said the Prime Minister.
Luxon concluded by underscoring the critical role of India as a regional and global player, asserting that the potential for collaboration between the two countries is immense. “We need to move it from neutral into gear and get it moving,” he said, highlighting the shared challenges both countries face in creating opportunities for their citizens.
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