India, Māori traditions share respect for nature and community, says PM Modi in Auckland

July 11, 2026 11:25 AM

India, Māori traditions share respect for nature and community, says PM Modi in Auckland

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday highlighted the shared cultural values between India and New Zealand’s Māori community, saying their common emphasis on respect for nature, community and sustainability can help create a new model for inclusive and sustainable global trade.   Addressing the Business and Sports Engagement event in Auckland, the Prime Minister expressed appreciation for Māori business leaders and said the recently concluded India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA...

New Zealand parliament confirms unprecedented lengthy suspension of Indigenous lawmakers

June 5, 2025 4:42 PM

New Zealand parliament confirms unprecedented lengthy suspension of Indigenous lawmakers

New Zealand's parliament agreed on historically lengthy suspensions for three Indigenous lawmakers who last year performed a haka, a traditional Maori dance, disrupting the reading of a controversial bill. A parliamentary privileges committee in May recommended the suspension of the three Te Pati Maori parliamentarians for acting in "a manner that could have the effect of intimidating a member of the house." The three performed the haka last November ahead of a vote on a controversial bill tha...