Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Auckland on Friday, where he was received by his New Zealand counterpart, Christopher Luxon. The two leaders greeted each other with a warm embrace.
Prime Minister Modi is visiting New Zealand at the invitation of PM Luxon. The visit marks the first official visit by an Indian Prime Minister to New Zealand in four decades.
In a post on X, PM Modi said, “Reached Auckland a short while ago. Thankful to Prime Minister Luxon for the welcome at the airport. This visit is historic, being the first Prime Ministerial visit to New Zealand in four decades. I look forward to holding talks with Prime Minister Luxon and discussing the complete range of the India-NZ friendship. I will also be addressing a community programme tomorrow in Auckland.”
During his stay, PM Modi will hold bilateral talks with PM Luxon and review the entire gamut of bilateral relations, which have seen significant progress over the past two years, particularly in the areas of trade, commerce and defence, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
The Prime Minister will also interact with prominent business and sports personalities. Reflecting the strong people-to-people ties between the two countries, he will address a large gathering of the Indian diaspora during the visit, the MEA said.
The visit comes just months after the signing of the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in April and is expected to provide fresh momentum to bilateral trade and economic cooperation. The two leaders had earlier held bilateral talks in New Delhi on March 17, 2025, during PM Luxon’s official visit to India.
Before arriving in New Zealand, PM Modi concluded his visit to Australia, where he participated in the third Australia-India Annual Leaders’ Summit with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
The summit marked a significant milestone in the two countries’ six-year Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and resulted in a series of agreements aimed at strengthening the Indo-Pacific’s security architecture, securing critical mineral supply chains and accelerating the transition to clean energy. (ANI)
