Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday concluded his landmark two-day visit to New Zealand and departed for India, wrapping up the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the island nation in more than four decades. The visit is being seen as a significant milestone in India-New Zealand relations, with both countries agreeing to deepen cooperation across strategic, economic and people-to-people sectors.
During his visit, Prime Minister Modi held wide-ranging bilateral talks with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. The discussions focused on expanding cooperation in trade, defence, education, technology, agriculture and regional security. Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the partnership based on shared democratic values, mutual trust and a common vision for a stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific.
A key outcome of the visit was the exchange of five Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), covering defence cooperation, tourism, sports, disaster management, and dairy and animal husbandry. The agreements are expected to enhance institutional collaboration, facilitate knowledge sharing and create new opportunities for engagement between the two countries.
The leaders also reviewed progress in bilateral cooperation and discussed ways to further strengthen economic ties. The visit underscored the growing strategic importance of India-New Zealand relations amid evolving regional and global dynamics.
One of the major highlights of the visit was the grand community event held at Auckland's Spark Arena, where more than 10,000 members of the Indian diaspora gathered to welcome Prime Minister Modi. The event celebrated the deep cultural and people-to-people ties between the two nations and showcased the growing influence of the Indian community in New Zealand.
Addressing the gathering, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon described India as a "trusted friend" and praised the Indian community for its invaluable contribution to New Zealand's economic growth, innovation and multicultural society. He also lauded Prime Minister Modi's leadership and reaffirmed New Zealand's commitment to building a stronger partnership with India.
Prime Minister Modi, while addressing the enthusiastic audience, thanked the Indian diaspora for serving as a bridge between the two nations. He also expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Luxon and the people of New Zealand for the warm welcome and hospitality extended during his visit.
Describing the visit as the beginning of a "new chapter" in India-New Zealand relations, Prime Minister Modi highlighted the significance of his visit coming after a gap of more than 40 years since the last visit by an Indian Prime Minister. He expressed confidence that bilateral ties would continue to expand across multiple sectors and assured the audience that such a long gap would not be repeated.
"Forty years is a long time. The next visit will not take so long," Prime Minister Modi said, drawing applause from the audience.
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