Ireland and India have been quietly enhancing the relationship between the countries. In the recent years, there has been a significant growth in the bilateral trade between the two nations.
From €5 Billion in 2020, €9.6 Billion in 2021 growing to approximately €16 Billion in 2023 (you can read more about this here) , it has been a phenomenal growth of goods, trade and services between Ireland and India. The numbers indicate India Ireland bilateral trade moving closer to the India’s top 5 contributors in the European Union.
The latest announcement of Ireland being the country partner of the famous Hornbill Festival of Nagaland showcases the focus on the artistic tie ups as well which in turn will definitely push the overall bilateral trade including tourism for both countries.
The Ireland Ambassador to India, Kevin Kelly and Chief Minister of Nagaland, Neiphiu Rio made a joint announcement at the Naga House in New Delhi on November 18. Ireland is the official Country Partner for Hornbill Festival 2025; the flagship international culture festival for the state of Nagaland. The Embassy of Ireland presence will comprise investment roundtables, music showcases, public arts installation, literary & theatre-arts work and a special curation of a
dialogue series on Ireland, India and Empire.
This is the 26th edition of the famous Hornbill Festival, a 10 days long festive celebrations of the cultural heritage of Nagaland. This is an annual event which takes place every year from the 1st of December to the 10th of December. The festival captures the ethnic beauty and artistic offerings from the different tribes of Nagaland, all of them brought together under one roof for these 10 days. Since its inception in 2000, the festival has become a symbol of unity among the state’s 17 major tribes, fostering tourism, reconciliation, and pride in a shared cultural identity. The ten days event showcases the tribes in their traditional costumes, unique local music, food, and gives a flavour of all things in Nagaland.
The Hornbill festival is organised by the Nagaland State tourism department with the support of the local bodies, artists, associations. The Hornbill Music festival takes place alongside this event and it is now becoming one of the most sought after events for Indie bands and international bands to showcase their music to the audience. TaFMA , Task Force for Music and Arts chaired by Theja Mehru has been the driving force behind this Music Festival.
In this year’s edition, the participants will be able to witness band Members of the acclaimed Irish folk band The Mary Wallopers come together with other Irish musicians to form the music ensemble Bóinn, and will perform at the opening of the Hornbill Festival in addition to their much-awaited music set. Hailing from Dublin and Dundalk, Ireland, Bóinn are ready to bring traditional Irish ballads and rare folk songs into vibrant and contemporary spirit at the Hornbill
festival.
Speaking at the event at the Naga house, Ambassador of Ireland to India, Kevin Kelly, said, “Ireland’s partnership with
the Hornbill Festival reflects the growing depth of Ireland-India relations and the shared commitment to cultural collaboration and peace building dialogue. We hope that people of Nagaland enjoy the best of Irish art, culture and theatre and that the connections we make at Hornbill 2025 lead to even greater collaboration in the future.”
Highlighting Nagaland’s support for the collaboration, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, stated, “Nagaland is honored to welcome Ireland as our Country Partner for this year’s Hornbill Festival. Ireland’s rich culture, heritage, and artistic traditions resonate deeply with our own, making this partnership both meaningful and special. We see immense potential for expanded collaboration across culture, tourism, education, creative industries, youth exchange, sustainable development, and people-to-people engagement. Ireland’s participation will greatly enrich the festival and strengthen the bonds
between our peoples. We look forward to celebrating this friendship and forging new pathways of cooperation in the Land of Festivals.”
Adding a multidisciplinary dimension are, Delhi-based arts company Kaivalya Plays who, will present an ensemble of engagements in Nagaland. They will begin with dramatized readings from James Joyce’s Dubliners a project developed in cooperation with Embassy of Ireland as part of Year of Joyce celebrations.
Embassy of Ireland in cooperation with their Honorary Consulate General in Kolkata and Keventer Agro Limited are bringing to Kohima, an Irish public arts installation. We will see the Irish pagan goddess Danu, created by Irish artists from Macnas and Indian artists make a special entry as a public arts project in the festival this year.
The relationship between Ireland and India is moving in the right direction at a significant pace and it is the right time for the officials in both nations to have a dedicated team to capture the potential opportunities across goods, trade, services, tourism and the cultural synergies.
For those who want to know more about the Hornbill Festival:
Hornbill Music Festival:
Those who are interested to visit the festival should ideally plan 5-6 months in advance to get the accommodation, travel tickets, etc. and also would need a special permit to enter Nagaland.
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Photo and official content courtesy: The press release statement of Embassy of Ireland, India.
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