India, New Zealand Elevate Bilateral Relations to Strategic Partnership, Says PM Luxon

Auckland, July 2026 : New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on Saturday announced that India and New Zealand have agreed to elevate their bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership, describing the move as a landmark step that will provide a stronger framework for expanding cooperation across multiple sectors in the years ahead.

Speaking during delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Auckland, Luxon said the historic visit by the Indian leader marked a defining moment in bilateral ties, noting that it was the first official visit by an Indian Prime Minister to New Zealand in 40 years.

Welcoming PM Modi, Luxon recalled the warmth and hospitality extended to him during his own visit to India last year and said he was delighted to reciprocate that welcome in New Zealand.

“It is a truly historic occasion. As we discussed last night, this is the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to New Zealand in four decades. It represents a significant milestone in the New Zealand-India relationship. When I visited India last year, you welcomed me and my delegation with exceptional warmth and generosity. It is therefore my pleasure to welcome you here,” Luxon said.

The New Zealand Prime Minister praised Modi for his personal commitment to strengthening bilateral ties and said both governments had achieved significant progress within a short period, particularly in advancing discussions on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

However, Luxon stressed that the partnership between the two countries extends well beyond trade and economic cooperation.

“I want to thank you for your personal investment in this relationship. We have made tremendous progress on our trade agenda in a relatively short period. But today’s discussions are about much more than the Free Trade Agreement. They are about where we take this partnership next and how we broaden and deepen our cooperation across many areas,” he said.

Announcing the decision to elevate bilateral ties, Luxon said the Strategic Partnership would provide a comprehensive framework to guide future collaboration.

“I am very proud to announce that New Zealand and India will establish a Strategic Partnership. This will give our relationship greater breadth, stronger institutional support and a clear framework for continued expansion in the years ahead,” he added.

Following the bilateral talks, the two Prime Ministers witnessed the exchange of several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) aimed at strengthening cooperation in key sectors, including trade, education, technology, innovation, defence and people-to-people exchanges.

Later, in a post on social media platform X, Luxon highlighted the growing economic partnership between the two Indo-Pacific nations and expressed confidence that geographical distance would not hinder closer collaboration.

“New Zealand and India bookend the Indo-Pacific, but distance is no barrier to us working together to grow our economies. That’s exactly what we’re doing through our Free Trade Agreement, which will eliminate tariffs on 57 per cent of everything we export to India from day one,” he wrote.

Prime Minister Modi arrived in New Zealand on Friday after concluding his visit to Australia, the second leg of his three-nation diplomatic tour. During his stay, he is scheduled to hold several high-level engagements, interact with business leaders and members of the Indian diaspora, and explore new opportunities to deepen cooperation between the two countries.

The elevation of bilateral ties to a Strategic Partnership is expected to usher in a new phase of India-New Zealand relations, reflecting their shared democratic values, growing economic interests and commitment to a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.