In the third and last leg of his three-nation tour, Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Auckland on Friday, where he was received by his New Zealand counterpart, Christopher Luxon. The visit marks the first official visit by an Indian Prime Minister to New Zealand in four decades. During his stay in Auckland, 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 added.
Coming after April’s signing of the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the visit 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.
Auckland is buzzing with excitement in the wake of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit. Members of the Indian diaspora say that the visit of an Indian prime minister after nearly 40 years is a moment of pride and deep emotion for them.
Prime Minister Modi’s visit is expected to add fresh momentum to bilateral ties while further strengthening the people-to-people connection between the two nations.
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.
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