With music, movement and messages of unity, the India Day 2025 celebration in Port Moresby became more than just a cultural festival, it signaled a growing role for diplomacy driven by people, not just politics.
Held in tandem with International Yoga Day, the gathering served as a soft-power showcase of India-PNG relations, while also wrapping up the “Asia and Pacific Story” series of a months-long prelude to Papua New Guinea’s 50th Independence anniversary in September.
National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop, who has long championed regional integration, used the occasion to highlight the importance of strengthening ties not only between India and PNG, but also across the broader Indo-Pacific.
“Indian culture is rooted in peace. Let us come together to build a just, fair and peaceful world,” he said, adding that “culture and partnership must go hand in hand” in this time of global crises.
While public attention was drawn to the Indian dance troupes, yoga demonstrations and food stalls, a deeper message underpinned the day’s events: development through cooperation.
Parkop acknowledged the Indian diaspora’s contribution to PNG’s growth particularly in health, education and business while citing leaders such as Nasfund CEO Rajeev Sharma and Omprakash Seshadri as examples of “shared progress.”
“We cannot look at culture in isolation from development,” he told the crowd. “This is a time to invest in people-to-people links that can drive both peace and prosperity.”
The celebration drew attendance from across the region, including West New Britain Governor Sasindran Muthuvel and Indian High Commission Charge Affairs Mukesh Kumar. Both reaffirmed the values of democracy, mutual respect, and service that underpin the bilateral relationship.
Sharma, speaking from the stage, called PNG his “second motherland” a sentiment met with applause from both Indian nationals and locals.
Parkop’s remarks also extended to the wider region, as he acknowledged the presence and partnership of Pacific neighbors, Australia and New Zealand, and the work of the Amazing Port Moresby team in hosting the event.
Looking ahead, the city prepares for the next major cultural milestone event the Meganesia Concert on June 28 at Sir Hubert Murray Stadium, featuring local legends like Anslom and Airileke Ingram of Yothu Yindi, with support from the Australian High Commission and the NCDC.
As PNG counts down to its golden jubilee, events like India Day are not just markers of heritage they’re catalysts for diplomacy.