According to sources, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will meet on Saturday to discuss trade and investment as well as high-tech innovation in farming, dairying, and high-performance sports.
On the last stage of his three-nation tour, Modi arrived in Auckland, where Luxon met him at the airport. For the first time in forty years, an Indian prime minister is visiting New Zealand.
Modi will have bilateral discussions with Luxon on Saturday at Government House in Auckland. I just arrived in Auckland. In a post on X, Modi expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Luxon for the reception at the airport.Being the first prime minister to visit New Zealand in forty years, this visit is historic. I'm excited to speak with Prime Minister Luxon and go over the full scope of the connection between New Zealand and India. Tomorrow, I'll be speaking at a community event in Auckland," he added.
"This historic visit is set to strengthen bilateral ties and unlock new avenues of cooperation across several areas, especially trade, defense, sports, culture, education, and people-to-people exchanges," the Ministry of External Affairs stated in a post on X.

"Special welcome in Auckland!"The famous Sky Tower was lit up to commemorate Modi's arrival, "symbolizing the friendship between our two countries," according to a different post from the Ministry. In his farewell remarks in New Delhi.The FTA's provision for US$20 billion in investment in India over the next 15 years is anticipated to foster a closer economic connection, according to officials. Both nations also hope to increase their trade in products and services by 2030.
Given its substantial reliance on a single market, which India is attempting to fill, New Zealand's aim to diversify its economic partnerships provides the strategic and geopolitical context for the visit.
One of New Zealand's strong points, technology and innovation, will be a major theme of the visit. New Zealand has excelled in industries including dairying, farming, and high-performance sports, and it devotes about 1.5% of its GDP to research and development.Outreach to the Indo-Pacific region
The PM's trip to New Zealand is a component of Delhi's outreach to the Indo-Pacific nations, as China's muscular actions in the area have presented difficulties. In recent weeks, India has interacted with Indonesia, Australia, and Japan. As part of its economic diversification, New Zealand is also contacting India to extend its market.
"We are attempting to collaborate with New Zealand in order to benefit from their innovations and best practices in order to bolster related Indian sectors. According to an official, New Zealand is now establishing Centers of Excellence in Kiwifruit in Nagaland and Uttarakhand, as well as launching Kiwifruit Action Plans, Apple and Pear Action Plans, and Honey Action Plans in India.The official added that Modi will attend business and sporting events at the Viaduct Business Center. "We are also discussing similar cooperation in sports through a Joint Action Plan in Sports," the official stated. During Modi's visit, Australia and India also agreed a strategy for sports collaboration.
Delhi's Indo-Pacific policy includes India's outreach to New Zealand, which, along with Indonesia and Australia, is anticipated to bolster India's Act East Policy, MAHASAGAR Vision, and its vision for an open and free Indo-Pacific. This becomes significant in light of China's muscular actions in the Indo-Pacific area.Another major component of the visit will be people-to-people ties, since there are almost 3 lakh individuals of Indian descent living in New Zealand who have close ties to India and are significant players in the nation's politics, economy, and business. At a community event, Modi will also speak to the Indian diaspora.