Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks with his New Zealand counterpart, Christopher Luxon, in Auckland on Saturday , as the two leaders reviewed the expanding India-New Zealand partnership across key sectors. Addressing delegation-level talks, Modi described the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) as a historic milestone in bilateral relations, thanking New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his government for concluding the agreement in a short span. Modi said his visit—the first by an Indian Prime Minister to New Zealand in 40 years—had infused new momentum into bilateral ties and reaffirmed the commitment of both countries to deepen their partnership.
Recalling Prime Minister Luxon’s visit to India during the Holi festival last year, PM Modi said it had added “new colours” to bilateral relations. “Today, we are binding our relationship together through a Strategic Partnership. This milestone will inspire us to move forward with greater energy and confidence,” he added. Highlighting shared democratic values, PM Modi described India and New Zealand as natural partners and said their cooperation as maritime nations strengthens the Indo-Pacific region.
Sharing my remarks during meeting with PM Christopher Luxon.@chrisluxonmp https://t.co/khsJEDiDpC
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 11, 2026
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the discussions focused on the full spectrum of bilateral ties, which have witnessed significant progress in recent years, particularly in trade, commerce and defence.
Newsinc24 Team





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