The ‘ABCs’ of India – Astrology, Bollywood and Cricket, are the aspects most popularly associated with India by Kiwis, explains Suzannah.  But there is much more to India than those – with thriving industry, an enormous middle class, and a new willingness to engage internationally, India is a regional power which can present our nation with significant opportunities.

• What do we know about modern India and the things that drive it?
• How is India’s rise going to impact New Zealand?
• And what are the opportunities for growing relations between our two countries?

Suzannah Jessep, a director at the Asia New Zealand Foundation, where she runs its experts’ engagement, research and education programmes, and one of New Zealand’s leading advocates for building NZ-India relations, will answer these questions. 

Suzannah has extensive diplomatic experience in South Asia, having served as New Zealand’s Deputy High Commissioner to India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh and as Deputy Ambassador to Nepal for 13 years with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.  As well as New Zealand’s Deputy High Commissioner to Vanuatu, while she has also served – in Wellington - in the Ministry’s Australia, Pacific and Europe Divisions, and the area of Antarctic and security policy.  Since 2019 has been on the staff of the Asia New Zealand Foundation.  

Suzannah Jessep is a board member of the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs (NZIIA) and sits on the Advisory Boards of the New Zealand Contemporary China Research Centre (NZCCRC) and the New Zealand India Research Institute (NZIRI), and as Chair of the Ministerial Strategic Advisory Group on Trade, which reports to the Minister of Trade.

Tea and coffee from 7:30pm

Non-members: $5.00 door charge

See attached flyer for further information.