Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday concluded his three-nation tour of Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand, departing for India after holding extensive talks with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon that elevated bilateral ties to a Strategic Partnership and produced a wide-ranging set of agreements across key sectors.
Prime Minister Luxon personally saw off PM Modi at the airport in a special gesture following the conclusion of the visit.
In a post on X, PM Modi said, “My gratitude to PM Luxon, the Government and people of New Zealand for the exceptional warmth during this fruitful visit. This visit, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in four decades, has opened an important new chapter in our relations. Our decision to elevate ties to a Strategic Partnership, the progress on trade and investment and the renewed momentum in defence, education, culture, sports and people-to-people exchanges reflect the growing depth of our friendship.”
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said PM Modi’s New Zealand visit had strengthened bilateral ties and delivered significant outcomes.
“A visit that deepened bonds, strengthened partnerships and shaped a shared future. After concluding substantive discussions and overseeing key set of outcomes in New Zealand, PM Narendra Modi departs for India. In a special gesture, he was seen off by PM Christopher Luxon at the airport. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s three-country visit to Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand delivered significant outcomes advancing cooperation across several sectors including trade, technology, security, education, innovation and people-to-people exchanges among others,” Jaiswal said in a post on X.
During his visit, PM Modi held talks with Prime Minister Luxon at Government House in Auckland after being accorded a traditional Māori welcome and inspecting a Guard of Honour.
The two leaders reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral relations, with discussions covering trade and investment, defence and security, agri-tech, sports, education, tourism, culture and people-to-people exchanges.
A key outcome of the meeting was the decision to elevate India-New Zealand relations to the level of a Strategic Partnership, marking a new chapter in bilateral ties. The two Prime Ministers also reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation across areas of mutual interest and stressed the importance of the early implementation of the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement.
The leaders set an ambitious target of doubling bilateral trade by 2030 and exchanged views on regional and global developments while reiterating their commitment to strengthening cooperation in multilateral forums.
Following the talks, the two Prime Ministers witnessed the exchange of several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and other agreements covering defence and maritime security, hydrography, sports, disaster management, dairy, tourism, maritime heritage, culture, food technology and ocean research. They also adopted a Joint Statement outlining the roadmap for the future of the bilateral partnership.
PM Modi thanked Prime Minister Luxon for the warm hospitality extended during the visit and invited him to visit India.
The New Zealand leg marked the final stop of PM Modi’s three-nation tour, during which India expanded cooperation with Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand across a wide range of sectors, including trade, technology, security, innovation, education and people-to-people ties.
