Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to embark on a six-day, three-nation diplomatic tour from July 6 to July 11, with visits to Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand.
According to The Times of India, the visit is aimed at strengthening India’s strategic, economic and diplomatic engagement with all three countries while expanding cooperation across multiple sectors.
As reported by The Times of India, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Friday that Prime Minister Modi will begin his overseas visit with Indonesia before travelling to Australia, where his key engagements will take place in Melbourne.
The final leg of the tour will take him to New Zealand, a visit being described as a significant milestone in bilateral relations.
According to The Times of India, officials from the Ministry of External Affairs highlighted the importance of the New Zealand leg of the tour, noting that it marks the first official visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the country in nearly four decades.
Speaking to reporters, Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs, Rudrendra Tandon, said that Prime Minister Modi’s visit to New Zealand would be particularly significant because it would be the first by any Indian Prime Minister in almost 40 years, underscoring the growing importance of ties between the two countries.
The Times of India reported that New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon also confirmed the upcoming visit through a post on social media, welcoming Prime Minister Modi’s arrival and highlighting the importance of closer cooperation between the two nations.
“I’m delighted to announce Indian Prime Minister @narendramodi will make his first official visit to New Zealand next week,” Luxon posted on social media.
According to The Times of India, Luxon described India as one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing economies, emphasising that the country holds increasing strategic and economic importance for New Zealand.
He said the visit reflects the growing momentum in bilateral relations and opens the door for greater cooperation across trade, investment and other sectors.
"We are taking the two countries' relationship to the next level with our New Zealand-India Free Trade Agreement, signed in April, which will deliver more jobs, higher exports and stronger economic growth for New Zealand," he said.
Referring to the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA), Luxon further highlighted the economic opportunities expected to emerge from the deal.
According to The Times of India, he said the agreement would provide New Zealand businesses with improved access to one of the world’s largest consumer markets while strengthening economic ties between the two countries.
Referring to India and New Zealand free trade agreement (FTA), Luxon said that the deal will unlock new opportunities, opening a market of 1.4 billion people for goods and services from New Zealand, 'bringing more money into Kiwi communities, creating jobs and lifting wages'.
The Times of India noted that the Free Trade Agreement was signed earlier this year with the objective of expanding bilateral trade in goods and services while encouraging greater investment flows between India and New Zealand.
The agreement is also expected to strengthen business partnerships and create new opportunities for companies from both countries.
Apart from the economic agenda, Prime Minister Modi’s three-nation visit is expected to focus on enhancing strategic cooperation, regional partnerships and people-to-people ties.
According to The Times of India, the tour reflects India’s continued efforts to deepen engagement with key partners across the Indo-Pacific region, while reinforcing diplomatic relations with Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand.
The visit is likely to include high-level meetings, bilateral discussions and engagements aimed at further strengthening cooperation in trade, investment, connectivity and regional security, making it one of Prime Minister Modi’s most significant overseas visits of the year.
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