Modi & Luxon Seal Strategic Partnership on Whirlwind Visit

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Auckland on Friday evening - the first trip to New Zealand by an Indian leader in almost four decades, and one both governments are treating as a genuine turning point in the relationship.

Modi touched down at Auckland Airport shortly after 8pm in his Boeing 777, known as India One, at the tail end of a wider regional tour that had already taken him through Indonesia and Australia. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon greeted him with a hug as he stepped off the aircraft, a gesture widely read as a sign of how much weight the Government is placing on the visit. Ethnic Communities Minister Mark Mitchell was also at the airport for the welcome. Modi will be in the country for just over 24 hours, and spent the night at the Cordis Hotel in Auckland, where around 80 supporters gathered to greet him on arrival.

Saturday began with a formal pōwhiri at Government House in Auckland. Luxon and Modi hugged and shook hands before some public remarks ahead of a formal bilateral meeting.

Luxon opened by thanking Modi for a visit he called "truly historic," noting it came at a time when "we are living in a very complex world," and stressed the day's agenda went well beyond the free trade agreement alone. At one point Luxon had to pause his remarks after members of the Indian media contingent flagged that their translation headsets weren't working . "Is there a problem with the translator or the Prime Minister?" he joked, drawing laughter from the room.

Modi responded with a string of greetings that included a "Kia Ora," and spoke of a "renewed energy" and "renewed resolve" in the bilateral relationship. He said the two countries shared common values and that the day's talks would help strengthen efforts toward peace, safety and stability in the world. "It's like we were made for each other," he said, also thanking Luxon and his team for concluding the free trade deal in a comparatively short time.

Luxon-Modi discussions in Auckland / Image FB

Emerging from the bilateral meeting was the announcement of a new Strategic Partnership between the two nations. Luxon told the audience at a later event that the partnership arrived at a moment when the world was "increasingly volatile and uncertain," making strong partnerships "more important than ever before," and that it would provide "a stronger platform for practical cooperation in prosperity, security and people-to-people connections."

The Pm said it would deepen ties in trade, investment, education, technology, sport and tourism, while opening closer cooperation on defence, maritime security and law enforcement.

The two leaders also agreed on a Roadmap to 2030 to guide the partnership, including a goal of doubling two-way trade by that date. Luxon described the roadmap as reflecting "the breadth of the relationship – from trade, investment and technology to maritime security, education, tourism, sport, agriculture and community."

The PM went on the describe the new NZ-India Free Trade Agreement as a "landmark achievement that will drive long-term growth for both countries," saying it would reduce or eliminate tariffs on 95 percent of New Zealand's exports to India once fully implemented, and would help New Zealand toward the Government's target of doubling export value by 2034. Trade between the two countries has reportedly already grown substantially since free trade talks began.

Luxon said the roadmap carries a significant maritime security component, including a new Maritime Cooperation Arrangement between the two countries' defence forces, arguing that "New Zealand's prosperity and security depend on a stable and secure Indo-Pacific."

Sport as Diplomacy

Later in the day, Luxon welcomed Modi to the "A Winning Partnership" celebration at the Viaduct Events Centre in Auckland, an event focused on the sporting ties between the two countries.

In front of an audience of a couple of hundred people Luxon used the occasion to mark 100 years since the Indian Army hockey team toured New Zealand, in what was the first sporting contest between the two nations. He also announced a year-long programme of sporting, community and cultural events to celebrate "a century of unity through sport."

The PM also noted that under Modi, India had become one of the world's fastest and largest-growing economies, while New Zealand could offer expertise in food production, education, technology and sustainable tourism. "Together we can support job creation, expand trade, attract innovation and create new opportunities in India and New Zealand," he said.

Around midday, a business forum brought together leaders numerous sectors of interest to India, followed by a celebration lunch. Labour leader Chris Hipkins was also due to meet Modi in the late afternoon.

Modi meets supporters at Auckland Airport on Friday night / Image FB

Kia Ora Modi: A Sold-Out Spark Arena

The visit was always set to culminate in a large community event, and organisers have been busy scaling that up in the last few weeks as demand grew. Auckland's 12,000 capacity Spark Arena is expected to be full for the event, dubbed the Kia Ora Modi reception.

Both leaders are expected to address the crowd, with Modi due to speak for around 40 minutes, largely in Hindi, as is his usual practice at major diaspora events. Cultural performances and community celebrations will fill out the programme.

SA Contested Legacy

Modi's reception in Auckland reflects the same divided verdict that follows him globally. Supporters credit him with India's economic rise and with lifting millions out of poverty, while critics and India's political opposition accuse him of promoting Hindu nationalism, curtailing press freedom and enabling crony capitalism. Even so, several New Zealand-based Indian community leaders framed the visit warmly, describing it as a celebration of shared heritage and a marker of growing friendship between the two countries, and expressing hope that it would deepen trade and community ties further.

Departure

Modi is due to depart New Zealand late on Saturday night, closing out a visit Luxon has repeatedly described in sweeping terms — as "an exclamation point" on more than two years of diplomatic effort,

For a government keen to signal that India has moved into the front rank of New Zealand's strategic priorities, the sold-out arena, the new Strategic Partnership and the Roadmap to 2030 give it plenty to point to , even as the heavy security operation and dissent in the margins are a reminder of how divisive Modi's brand of politics remains, both in India and among its diaspora abroad.

Asia Media Centre