Ten days after concluding his three-day visit to Seychelles, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to New Zealand next week for his first official visit to the country, marking the first visit by an Indian prime minister in 40 years.
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced on Friday that Modi will arrive in Auckland on July 10 and depart a day later.
"Prime Minister Modi's visit is historic, with this being the first to New Zealand by an Indian Prime Minister in 40 years," Luxon said in a statement.
Calling India one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing economies, Luxon said that India is of enormous importance to New Zealand’s economic prosperity.
The visit comes months after India and New Zealand signed a free trade agreement (FTA) in April that will eliminate 95 per cent of tariffs on goods from New Zealand.
“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.
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 FTA provides duty-free access for 100 per cent of India’s exports to New Zealand.
For India, the agreement strengthens access to a high-income, rules-based Pacific market and supports its broader Indo-Pacific economic strategy. For New Zealand, it offers more secure entry into one of the world’s fastest-growing large economies at a time of rising global trade uncertainty.
The bilateral merchandise trade between the two countries stood at USD 1.3 billion in 2024-25, while total trade in goods and services reached about USD 2.4 billion in 2024, with services trade alone reaching USD 1.24 billion, led by travel, IT, and business services.
Modi's New Zealand visit follows his three-day trip to Seychelles, which concluded on June 29 and focused on expanding bilateral cooperation and strengthening India's strategic engagement in the Indian Ocean.
"My visit to Seychelles has been filled with substantive outcomes that will boost the India-Seychelles friendship," Modi said in a post on X after departure.
Modi said the past 50 years of India-Seychelles ties have been marked by deep trust and shared progress. "The next fifty years will be defined by innovation, sustainability and shared prosperity."
During the visit, which began on Saturday, Modi attended the golden jubilee celebrations of the National Day of Seychelles as the Guest of Honour.
"I am happy to have joined the National Day celebrations and that too during the time when Seychelles marks 50 years of Independence," he posted after departure.
The two countries unveiled 19 outcomes covering defence, maritime security, digital payments, space, healthcare, agriculture and education.