Prime Minister Narendra Modi and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Monday. The discussions aimed at enhancing the bilateral relationship between India and New Zealand, with a focus on economic cooperation, trade expansion, and regional security.
“PM Narendra Modi warmly welcomed PM Christopher Luxon of New Zealand at Hyderabad House today. Extensive discussions on bilateral relationship lie ahead,” said official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Randhir Jaiswal, in a post on social media platform X.
Luxon, who arrived in India on Sunday for a five-day official visit, began his trip by paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat earlier in the day. This visit underscores the growing push to strengthen ties between the two nations, including the announcement of negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and New Zealand.
During his visit, Luxon highlighted New Zealand’s commitment to deepening its relationship with India. He expressed his gratitude towards the Indian government, calling it “incredibly generous and very welcoming.” The New Zealand PM also noted that he had brought the largest-ever delegation of business and community leaders accompanying a New Zealand Prime Minister on a foreign trip, reflecting the importance of strengthening both economic and cultural ties.
Luxon further emphasized the immense potential for growth in India-New Zealand relations, particularly through trade expansion, which he believes will significantly benefit the New Zealand economy. He also acknowledged the valuable contributions of the Indian community in New Zealand, noting that Indian-Kiwis are the third-largest ethnic group in the country, the largest source of skilled migrants, and the second-largest contributor to international student enrollments.
The New Zealand Prime Minister praised the Indian community’s contributions across various sectors and highlighted the deep people-to-people connections between the two nations. Luxon, who was accompanied by community and business leaders, also met with cricketers Ajaz Patel and Ross Taylor, further underscoring the strong cultural ties between India and New Zealand.
Luxon’s visit also included a meeting with India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, who commended the New Zealand Prime Minister’s efforts to strengthen the bilateral relationship.
As part of his visit, Luxon is set to be the chief guest and keynote speaker at the Raisina Dialogue, India’s premier conference on geopolitics and geo-economics. The event, which will be inaugurated by PM Modi, is expected to facilitate critical discussions on global challenges.
Following his meeting with PM Modi, Luxon is scheduled to witness the exchange of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) at Hyderabad House before heading to Rashtrapati Bhavan for a meeting with President Droupadi Murmu.
(With ANI inputs)
