Prime Minister Narendra Modi was accorded a traditional Māori powhiri ceremonial welcome at Government House in Auckland on Saturday, reflecting New Zealand’s rich indigenous heritage and cultural traditions.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a post on X that the Prime Minister received a warm ceremonial welcome and was honoured with the traditional Māori powhiri, a customary ceremony that symbolises New Zealand’s indigenous cultural values.
The ceremonial welcome was followed by bilateral talks between Prime Minister Modi and his New Zealand counterpart, Christopher Luxon.
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 India and New Zealand, according to the MEA.
Soon after arriving in Auckland on Friday, Prime Minister Modi described his visit as “historic” in a post on X. He thanked Prime Minister Luxon for welcoming him at the airport and noted that it is the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to New Zealand in four decades.
Prime Minister Modi arrived in Auckland at the invitation of Prime Minister Luxon and was received with a warm embrace by his New Zealand counterpart.
The visit comes months after India and New Zealand signed a Free Trade Agreement in April this year and is expected to provide fresh momentum to trade and bilateral cooperation. The two leaders had earlier held bilateral talks in New Delhi on March 17, 2025, during Prime Minister Luxon’s official visit to India.
-ANI
