New Zealand has formally positioned sport as a tool of foreign policy with the launch of its first Sport Diplomacy Strategy 2025–2030, with Asia and India identified as priority partners. Lauren Walker examines how the strategy is being applied in practice, from government-led engagement to athletes operating as ambassadors across the region. Drawing on insights from Black Sticks captain Sam Lane, she explores how sport supports diplomacy, trade, and people-to-people ties in India and wider Asia.
