Prime Minister Narendra Modi was accorded a ceremonial Guard of Honour at Government House in Auckland on Saturday (local time), marking the beginning of his official engagements during his landmark visit to New Zealand.
Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, during which the two leaders will review the full spectrum of India-New Zealand relations. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the discussions will cover areas including trade, commerce and defence, where bilateral cooperation has seen significant progress over the past two years.
During his visit, the Prime Minister will also interact with leading business and sports personalities and address a large gathering of the Indian diaspora, reflecting the strong people-to-people ties between the two countries.
Soon after arriving in Auckland on Friday, PM Modi described the visit as “historic” as it marks the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to New Zealand in four decades.
In a post on X, he thanked Prime Minister Christopher Luxon for personally welcoming him 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,” PM Modi wrote.
Sharing visuals of his arrival, the Prime Minister said he looked forward to discussions with his New Zealand counterpart on the entire range of bilateral ties and to addressing the Indian community in Auckland.
PM Modi is visiting New Zealand at the invitation of Prime Minister Luxon. The visit comes months after the two leaders met in New Delhi on March 17, 2025, during Luxon’s official visit to India.
According to the MEA, the visit is expected to further strengthen bilateral relations following the signing of the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement in April this year and provide fresh momentum to trade and economic cooperation.
Before arriving in Auckland, 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 agreements aimed at enhancing cooperation in Indo-Pacific security, critical minerals and clean energy under the two countries’ Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
-ANI
