Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said India and New Zealand have entered a new chapter in their bilateral relationship with the elevation of ties to a Strategic Partnership, expressing confidence that the recently concluded Free Trade Agreement (FTA) would create new opportunities for businesses, farmers and youth while helping double bilateral trade by 2030.
Speaking at a special gala luncheon hosted by New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon under the theme “India-New Zealand: A Winning Partnership”, PM Modi said the relationship between the two countries is now moving beyond traditional cooperation to a future-oriented partnership driven by trust, technology, talent and shared democratic values.
The event was attended by prominent personalities from politics, business, industry, academia, technology, sports and the arts.
Prime Minister Luxon, in his welcome remarks, highlighted the deep and enduring ties between India and New Zealand and outlined a shared vision for expanding bilateral cooperation and advancing mutual prosperity.
Addressing the gathering, PM Modi thanked Luxon for the warm hospitality and described his visit as the beginning of a new phase in bilateral ties.
“I express my heartfelt gratitude to my friend Prime Minister Luxon for the warm welcome and hospitality extended to me and my delegation. He has shown such warmth that even the cold of Auckland seems less intense today. The affection and warmth we received from the people of New Zealand during this visit will remain in our hearts forever,” he said.
Recalling Luxon’s visit to India last year, PM Modi said it had infused new energy into the relationship.
“Prime Minister Luxon’s visit to India last year infused new energy into every aspect of our relationship. His leadership, clear vision, and strong commitment have given new momentum and direction to the friendship between India and New Zealand.”
Highlighting the significance of his visit, PM Modi noted that it was the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to New Zealand in four decades.
“Today, after forty years, an Indian Prime Minister is visiting. And I always say that there is a lot of good work left for me by my predecessors, which I am completing. Friends, this is the beginning of a new chapter in our relations,” he said.
PM Modi said the two countries, united by shared democratic values, have taken a historic decision to elevate bilateral ties to the level of a Strategic Partnership.
“India and New Zealand’s strong belief in democratic values provides us with a natural comfort to move forward together. In the last few years, we have given unprecedented momentum to our relations.”
“In today’s meeting, we discussed in detail how to give new depth and breadth to our cooperation. We have taken the historic decision to elevate India-New Zealand relations to the level of a Strategic Partnership. Under this, we will move forward with clear goals and concrete results in every area,” he added.
The Prime Minister described the recently concluded India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement as a landmark achievement.
“This year, we signed a Free Trade Agreement in record time. This achievement will open new doors for industries, farmers, and youth of both countries. Along with trade, we are developing a blueprint of trust, technology, and talent.”
“Our trade has grown by more than 50 percent in the last three years. We are confident that the FTA will provide a strong foundation for doubling our trade in the next five years,” the Prime Minister said.
Welcoming New Zealand’s investment plans in India, PM Modi said, “We also especially welcome New Zealand’s investment commitment of twenty billion dollars in India. This will give New Zealand companies the opportunity to become long-term partners in India’s growth story.”
Highlighting new areas of cooperation, PM Modi said both countries are working to connect India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) with New Zealand’s payment systems.
“To make our Strategic Partnership meaningful, we are transforming the strengths of both countries into practical cooperation. In the field of FinTech, we are moving forward on connecting India’s UPI and New Zealand’s payment systems.”
He said the two sides had also prepared a roadmap for cooperation in agriculture, dairy and food processing.
“We have developed a strong roadmap for cooperation in agriculture, dairy, and food processing. This will benefit our farmers and livestock farmers.”
Referring to the shared heritage of traditional medicine, PM Modi said, “Both New Zealand and India have rich and vibrant traditions in traditional medicine. Today we agreed to enhance the role of traditional medicines in our health cooperation.”
The Prime Minister also highlighted growing defence and maritime cooperation between the two countries.
“Our growing cooperation in defense and security symbolizes our deep strategic trust. The Defense Cooperation Agreement signed last year has created a strong framework for our cooperation. Today, we have agreed on a framework for maritime cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. Cooperation in bilateral naval exercises, logistics support, and hydrography will enhance our mutual coordination.”
Describing the Indian diaspora as the strongest pillar of bilateral ties, PM Modi said, “The strongest strength of our relationship is our people-to-people ties. The Indian community has carved a special place for itself in New Zealand through its hard work and talent. I express my gratitude to Prime Minister Luxon, the New Zealand government, and the people of New Zealand for their nurturing.”
He welcomed the signing of a Cultural Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding and invited New Zealand universities to establish campuses in India.
“The Cultural Cooperation MoU signed today will accelerate exchanges in art, culture, heritage, and creative industries between our two countries. New Zealand has been an important destination for Indian students. We invite New Zealand universities to open campuses in India,” he said.
Following the luncheon, PM Modi and Luxon toured an exhibition of innovative sports equipment and interacted with leading athletes and stakeholders associated with high-performance sports.
Recalling a century of sporting ties between the two countries, PM Modi said sports cooperation would now extend well beyond cricket.
“This year, we celebrate the centenary of sporting ties between our two countries. The history created by the hockey team led by Major Dhyan Chand here a hundred years ago continues to inspire our sports partnership.”
“To mark this occasion, we are organizing several sports events in both countries. We have developed a Sports Joint Action Plan to enhance cooperation in cricket as well as other sports. The recent coaching program between New Zealand Rugby and Rugby India in Bhubaneswar has been a positive start,” he said.
The Prime Minister also underlined the importance of cooperation on global issues.
“India and New Zealand are trusted partners and close friends on the global stage. We believe that reform of global institutions, including the UN, is essential to meet the challenges of today. Today, we have formed a Joint Working Group to work together on the issue of terrorism. Cooperation between India and New Zealand is vital for peace, stability, and security in the Indo-Pacific,” he added.
Concluding his address, PM Modi extended greetings on the Maori New Year, drawing a cultural link between New Zealand and India’s ancient traditions.
“I extend my heartfelt greetings to all of you on the Maori New Year, ‘Matariki.’ The constellation named ‘Matariki’ here, as you also mentioned, has been known in India since ancient times as the ‘Krittika Nakshatra.’ I am confident that this festival of ‘Matariki’ will inspire our relations to shine like these stars.”
Thanking Prime Minister Luxon for his hospitality, PM Modi concluded with a sporting analogy that reflected the event’s theme.
“Prime Minister Luxon, I thank you for your friendship, your commitment, and for making my New Zealand visit memorable. Just as rugby requires teamwork and trust, we will move forward with mutual confidence. We are on the same team, so we will tackle only the challenges.”
