When will our prime minister visit these countries?
PM Modi has great personal rapport with New Zealand PM Christopher Luxon as was evident on the sidelines of ASEAN-India summit in 2024. New Zealand’s earlier PM Jacinda Ardern had invited PM Modi to New Zealand too. Modi has never travelled to this beautiful country located in the South Pacific Ocean.
Like New Zealand, PM Modi has a cordial relationship with Norwegian PM Jonas Gahr Store, whom he met in November 2024 on the sidelines of BRICS summit in Brazil. We only hope the bilateral exchanges between the two PMs will lead to Modi finally reaching Oslo and seeing this country of beautiful mountains & breathtaking fjords.
Though PM Modi has not visited Finland in his 11 years tenure as India's PM, his interest in AI is similar to that of Finnish PM Petteri Orpo. Orpo’s famous quote: 'AI is changing the world faster than we can anticipate'. The last significant Indian leader to visit Finland was President Pranab Mukherjee in 2014.
During COVID-19, India shut its embassy in North Korea. This led to our diplomatic isolation with the nation, which was already facing sanctions on many fronts. But in December 2024 India reopened its embassy in Pyongyang thus opening a window for diplomatic talks. And a visit by PM Modi?
As an Indian one can get emotional seeing Peruvians faithfully observing International Yoga Day at the iconic location of Machhu Pichu, Caral Valley, Qoricancha Temple & in capital city Lima. Unfortunately, PM Modi has never visited Peru. Maybe he will be there on the next global yoga day.
According to Taipei Times, PM Modi did visit Taiwan as BJP’s general secretary in 1999, but never as the PM. In 2024, when Taiwan’s President Lai Ching Te, tweeted a congratulatory message to Modi for his third term victory. Strong objections were raised. The New Delhi Chinese Embassy stated: ‘Taiwan is an inalienable part of China'.
Do you recall the famous bear hug Cuban dictator Fidel Castro gave fave partner Indira Gandhi at Non Align Movement summit in New Delhi in 1983? Much water has flowed under the bridge since & relations between the two countries are not the same. The last Indian dignitary to visit Cuba was President Shri Ram Nath Kovind in 2018. Dr Manmohan Singh was there in 2006 for an NAM summit.
The country has caught the fancy of Indian tourists with 1.47 lakh of them arriving in Azerbaijan from January to July 2024. An easy e-visa policy for Indians and a 4 hour direct flight from Delhi to Baku, has been the game changer for ourn tourists. We hope this year PM Modi will visit Azerbaijan to promote Indian tourism.