Jairam Ramesh recalls David Lange’s role in reviving India-New Zealand ties during Modi’s visit

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s landmark visit to New Zealand continues, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh on Saturday reflected on the historical evolution of India-New Zealand relations, paying tribute to former New Zealand Prime Minister David Lange for revitalising bilateral ties during the 1980s.

In a post on social media platform X, Ramesh said Modi’s visit “brings back memories of a remarkable man who was key to transforming India-New Zealand relations.”

“David Lange was New Zealand’s Prime Minister 1984-1989 and his first overseas visit in early October 1984 was to India. He struck an instant rapport with Indira Gandhi and developed a very warm and close personal relationship with Rajiv Gandhi,” Ramesh wrote.

The Congress leader also highlighted the personal connection that developed between the Lange family and India. He noted that Lange’s son, Roy Lange, developed a lifelong association with the country, graduating from the University of Delhi before marrying Mita Bhowmick, who later became a well-known filmmaker in Australia.

Recalling the history of bilateral relations, Ramesh said David Lange played a pivotal role in reviving ties that had flourished in the 1950s but weakened during the following two decades.

“It was David Lange who revived the bilateral relationship that had been productive in the 1950s with New Zealand assisting in developing India’s dairy industry and also in establishing AIIMS in New Delhi,” he said.

Ramesh also pointed to New Zealand’s contribution to India’s dairy revolution, noting that Dr Verghese Kurien, widely regarded as the architect of India’s White Revolution, had travelled to New Zealand on a Government of India fellowship between October 1952 and April 1953.

“The key architect of India’s White Revolution Dr V. Kurien had been sent by the Govt of India on a fellowship to New Zealand between October 1952 and April 1953, a visit that was to have a profound influence on him,” the Congress leader said.

According to Ramesh, bilateral ties had cooled during the 1960s and 1970s before receiving fresh momentum after Lange assumed office as Prime Minister in July 1984.

He also recalled that Lange made what he described as an inspired decision by appointing legendary mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary as New Zealand’s High Commissioner to India.

“In an inspired move, Lange appointed Sir Edmund Hillary as New Zealand’s High Commissioner. A road in New Delhi’s diplomatic enclave bears his name while another honours Tenzing Norgay who along with Hillary had scaled Mount Everest first on May 29, 1953,” Ramesh noted.

Modi is currently on the first bilateral visit to New Zealand by an Indian Prime Minister in four decades. During the visit, India and New Zealand elevated their relationship to a Strategic Partnership and unveiled a Roadmap to 2030 aimed at expanding cooperation across trade, defence, maritime security, agriculture, education, technology and people-to-people exchanges, while setting an ambitious target of doubling bilateral trade by the end of the decade.