Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be making his first official visit to New Zealand next week. This would be the first visit of an Indian PM in four decades to the country. The announcement of the same was made by the New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on Friday.
“Prime Minister Modi’s visit is historic, with this being the first visit to New Zealand by an Indian Prime Minister in 40 years,” Luxon said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to Auckland is expected to significantly boost bilateral relations between India and New Zealand. Top priorities for discussion include trade, technology, education, tourism, investment, strategic cooperation, and people-to-people connections. However, the diplomatically significant trip coincides with a growing political debate in New Zealand over immigration-related clauses in the bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
Notably, New Zealand First leader and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters recently voiced concerns, accusing the government of covertly weighing stricter visa rules for Indian nationals under the framework of the trade deal. Despite the domestic debate, the brief visit is being closely monitored by both nations as they look to solidify their economic and strategic alliance after years of targeted trade efforts.
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