Auckland: The Indian community in New Zealand is eagerly waiting for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s arrival in Auckland on Friday in what would be the first official visit of an Indian PM to the country in four decades.
In an interview with IANS, former Consul of India in Auckland Bhav Dhillon highlighted the growing bilateral ties between two nations, citing the recently signed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the air connectivity agreement. He also described the eagerness of Indian community to welcome PM Modi in New Zealand.
“After 40 years, we are having a visit from the Honourable Prime Minister. Very recently, we signed the FTA, we’ve signed the Air Connectivity Agreement, and a lot of other positive things have happened in the India-New Zealand ecosystem in the last two years. Prime Minister Modi’s visit assumes massive importance because now the Indian diaspora also has increased. We have about 400,000 Indians living in New Zealand and they are all eagerly waiting for him. So, it’s very, very important for the whole Indo-Pacific narrative as well,” he mentioned.
PM Modi is set to travel to Auckland on Friday for an official visit at the invitation of New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. He is scheduled to hold discussions with Luxon on Saturday and review the entire gamut of the bilateral relationship.
During his visit, PM Modi will also interact with prominent business and sports personalities. He will also address a large gathering of the Indian community in New Zealand.
“New Zealand is very, very advanced in agri-technology and also in general high-tech goods and services. So, Indian businesses can cooperate, do joint ventures with New Zealand businesses and set up things which will help the agriculture industry in New Zealand. The other thing big is about students, the mobility. Students from India can come and study here and gain valid things,” Dhillon stated.
He added that the Indian community is quite excited to attend the welcome reception for PM Modi, celebrated by diaspora as ‘Kia Ora Modi’, in New Zealand. He said that around 10,000-12,000 members of Indian community are expected to attend the event.
“PM Modi is here only for a day. The community has been waiting for an Indian PM for over four decades. So, they have set up a very large grand community welcome reception in an aptly called ‘Kia Ora Modi’ event which is at Spark Arena. We are hoping to have about 10 to 12,000 people there and I think that’ll be the biggest ever event like that to have happened in New Zealand.”
PM Modi’s visit to New Zealand comes after PM Luxon’s trip to India in March 2025.
(IANS)
