Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday began his official engagements in New Zealand with a ceremonial Guard of Honour at Government House in Auckland before holding bilateral talks with his New Zealand counterpart, Christopher Luxon.
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It will be the first time an Indian Prime Minister visits New Zealand in nearly 40 years and will serve as a great boost to their growing strategic and economic relationship.
As per MEA, the two heads of state are expected to discuss all the aspects of their bilateral relations ranging from trade and commerce to defence and other sectors, where interaction between the two sides has been steadily increasing in the last two years.
What is on the agenda for the Modi-Luxon talks?
Economic and trade cooperation will be at the center of the discussions, along with defence cooperation and regional issues.
The talks come after the signing of the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) that came into effect in the early months of 2023 and was hailed as a milestone for economic cooperation between the two sides.
As per MEA, talks will also cover new areas of cooperation of mutual interest, in addition to the progress made since the visit of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to India in March 2025.
A landmark visit after four decades
Soon after arriving in Auckland on Friday, Prime Minister Modi described the visit as “historic”, noting that it was the first prime ministerial visit from India to New Zealand in four decades.
In a post on X, the Prime Minister thanked Christopher Luxon for personally receiving him at the airport.
Honoured to receive a ceremonial welcome at Government House in Auckland. The traditional Māori pōwhiri was a moving reflection of New Zealand’s rich heritage and traditions.@chrisluxonmp pic.twitter.com/6yhtmert9N
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 11, 2026
During his trip, PM Modi will also engage with prominent businessmen and sports personalities before delivering a speech at a mass meeting of the Indian diaspora community, as a sign of the close personal relations that exist between the two nations.
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PM Modi completed his trip to Australia just before coming to New Zealand, where he participated in the third Australia-India Annual Leaders’ Summit with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. As a result of this Summit, agreements were signed on increasing cooperation in areas such as Indo-Pacific security, critical minerals and clean energy under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
FAQs
Why is the visit of PM Modi to New Zealand important?
Because it is the first visit to New Zealand by an Indian Prime Minister in almost 40 years and is intended to enhance ties in trade, defence, and strategy.
What are PM Modi and Christopher Luxon discussing?
The leaders are expected to discuss trade, defence, economic partnership and other related matters, reviewing their partnership in general.