Narendra Modi will arrive in Auckland on Sunday for a two-day official visit to New Zealand, another step forward in the development of a relationship between the two countries.
Trade, investment, education, technology, defence and regional security will be on the agenda of the visit and will also be a good opportunity for both countries to build people-to-people relations.
Modi will be in the region at a time when India and New Zealand are looking to scale up their strategic engagement in the Indo-Pacific.
With democratic values and commitment to a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific, we expect discussions to be on regional stability, maritime cooperation and economic resilience.
The prime minister will meet New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon for talks.
The leaders will review progress made by the previous agreements and explore collaboration in renewable energy, digital innovation, agriculture and clean technology.
At present, trade will probably be the main feature of the visit and India and New Zealand are working to improve bilateral trade and there could be talks about getting to market access, investment and supply chain collaboration.
Both countries economic leaders will take part in economic talks.
Education is another key pillar of the relationship. Thousands of Indian students come to New Zealand every year and India is one of the country’s largest sources of international students.
Both governments will talk about expanding academic exchanges, research collaborations and skill development initiatives.
The Indian diaspora, one of New Zealand’s fastest-growing populations, will also likely be at the centre of the visit.
Prime Minister Modi will meet with the Indian community in Auckland to thank them for their contributions to New Zealand’s multicultural society and to strengthen bilateral relations.
Security cooperation is also likely to get a lot of attention, especially in the areas of counter-terrorism, cybersecurity, disaster management and maritime security.
As geopolitical dynamics change across the Indo-Pacific, India and New Zealand are increasingly looking at ways of cooperating on shared strategic interests.
The visit will conclude with the announcement of some agreements and joint projects to further develop bilateral cooperation, officials said.
Modi’s visit is a sign of India’s increasing diplomatic outreach to the Pacific region and New Zealand’s desire to increase relations with one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies.
In the future, such meetings in Auckland will be seen as a step toward closer economic integration, stronger strategic cooperation, and cultural exchanges.
As both countries are working to deepen partnerships and deal with global problems together, the Auckland visit will strengthen India-New Zealand friendship and cement that sense of mutual trust, shared democratic values and a common vision for regional prosperity in this region.
