Prime Minister Narendra Modi held official talks with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in Auckland on July 11, 2026, marking a significant upgrade in bilateral relations. The meeting began with a traditional Māori welcome ceremony including customary rituals symbolizing peace, respect, and welcome, followed by Prime Minister Modi inspecting the Guard of Honour.
The two leaders held extensive bilateral discussions in both restricted and delegation-level formats, covering the entire spectrum of bilateral relations including trade and investment, defence and security, agri-tech, sports, education, tourism, culture, and people-to-people ties. The most significant outcome was the agreement to elevate the bilateral relationship to the level of Strategic Partnership, marking a new chapter in India-New Zealand relations.
Both leaders underscored the importance of early implementation of the India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement and set an ambitious target to double bilateral trade by 2030. They also exchanged views on regional and global developments and reiterated their commitment to strengthening cooperation in multilateral fora.
Following the talks, the two Prime Ministers witnessed the exchange of several Memoranda of Understanding and understandings across multiple fields including defense and maritime security, hydrography, sports, disaster management, dairy, tourism, maritime heritage, culture, food technology, and ocean research. A Joint Statement on the way forward for the bilateral partnership was also adopted by the two leaders.