Prime Minister Narendra Modi and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Monday. The meeting focused on strengthening the relationship between the two nations, with discussions aimed at enhancing economic cooperation, trade expansion, and regional security.
Luxon, who arrived in India on Sunday for a five-day official visit, paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat earlier in the day. The bilateral talks come amid growing efforts to deepen ties, including the announcement of negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and New Zealand.
During his visit, Luxon emphasized New Zealand’s commitment to strengthening its ties with India, highlighting the importance of economic and cultural cooperation. He brought the largest-ever delegation of business and community leaders accompanying a New Zealand Prime Minister on a foreign trip.
Luxon also praised the Indian community in New Zealand, noting their significant contributions as the third-largest ethnic group and the largest source of skilled migrants in the country. He acknowledged their role in various sectors, reinforcing the deep people-to-people connections between the two nations.
The New Zealand PM also met with business and community leaders and participated in cultural events, including meeting prominent cricketers Ajaz Patel and Ross Taylor.
Luxon’s visit follows a meeting with India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, who appreciated the efforts to strengthen bilateral relations. Luxon is also scheduled to be the keynote speaker at the Raisina Dialogue, India’s premier conference on geopolitics and geo-economics, which will be inaugurated by PM Modi. He is expected to meet with President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan after his meeting with Modi.
