Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks with his New Zealand counterpart, Christopher Luxon, in Auckland on Saturday (local time), as the two leaders reviewed the expanding India-New Zealand partnership across key sectors.
The talks followed a ceremonial welcome at Government House, where Prime Minister Modi was accorded a Guard of Honour at the start of his official engagements.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the discussions focused on the full spectrum of bilateral ties, which have witnessed significant progress in recent years, particularly in trade, commerce and defence.
Later in the day, the Prime Minister is scheduled to interact with leading business and sports personalities. He will also address a large gathering of the Indian diaspora, highlighting the strong people-to-people ties between the two countries.
Soon after arriving in Auckland on Friday, PM Modi described his visit as “historic,” noting that it is the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to New Zealand in four decades.
In a post on X, the Prime Minister thanked his New Zealand counterpart for the warm welcome at the airport.
“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,” he wrote.
Sharing visuals from his arrival, PM Modi said he looked forward to discussions covering the entire spectrum of India-New Zealand relations and to interacting with the Indian community in Auckland.
The Prime Minister is visiting New Zealand at the invitation of Prime Minister Luxon. The visit follows the signing of the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement in April this year and is expected to provide fresh momentum to bilateral trade and economic cooperation.
The two leaders had earlier met in New Delhi on March 17, 2025, during Prime Minister 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 resulted in a series of agreements aimed at strengthening cooperation in Indo-Pacific security, critical minerals and clean energy under the two countries’ Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
-ANI
