Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday departed for New Zealand from Melbourne, Australia, after concluding the second leg of his three-nation visit.
Prime Minister Modi will visit New Zealand from July 10 to 11 at the invitation of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. Notably, this will be the first state visit by an Indian Prime Minister to New Zealand in four decades.
In a post on X, PM Modi said, “As my Australia visit concludes, I express my heartfelt gratitude to the Government and people of Australia as well as to PM Albanese for their warmth. The outcomes of this visit have further strengthened our partnership and opened new avenues for cooperation across diverse sectors. The momentum in the times to come will benefit our nations and the entire planet.”
In Auckland, PM Modi will hold bilateral discussions with PM Luxon and review the entire gamut of the bilateral relationship, which has seen significant progress over the past two years, particularly in the areas of trade, commerce and defence.
During the visit, the Prime Minister will also interact with prominent business and sports personalities. Reflecting the strong people-to-people ties between India and New Zealand, he will address a large gathering of the Indian diaspora, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.
Earlier, during his visit to Australia, PM Modi held several meetings with political leaders, business leaders and other officials.
On Thursday (local time), he held delegation-level and bilateral talks with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during the third Australia-India Annual Leaders’ Summit at Government House in Melbourne.
PM Modi also held bilateral meetings with Victoria Governor Margaret Gardner AC, Governor-General of Australia Sam Mostyn, and Australia’s Leader of the Opposition, Angus Taylor, among other leaders.
The Prime Minister addressed business leaders at the India-Australia CEO Forum and the Economic Roadmap Business Reception in Melbourne, which was attended by PM Albanese. He also addressed members of the Indian diaspora at a community event in Melbourne.
The third Australia-India Annual Leaders’ Summit concluded on Thursday, marking a significant milestone in the two countries’ six-year Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
The summit resulted in a series of agreements aimed at reinforcing the Indo-Pacific’s security architecture, securing critical mineral supply chains and accelerating the transition to clean energy.
-ANI
