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15-07-2026
WELLINGTON: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon upgraded their nations’ diplomatic ties on Saturday, as Modi seeks to bolster New Delhi’s ties in the Asia-Pacific region.
The leaders elevated bilateral relations to a “strategic partnership” during talks in Auckland, reflecting their nations’ “shared democratic values, deep people-to-people links, and shared interests in the Indo-Pacific”, they said in a statement.
Modi, who arrived on Friday night after signing deals with Indonesia and Australia, is to address an Indian diaspora event at an Auckland arena later on Saturday, public broadcaster Radio New Zealand reported.
The first visit by an Indian prime minister to New Zealand in 40 years comes amid rising anti-Indian sentiment in New Zealand and tensions in its ruling coalition caused by a free-trade agreement between the two nations.
The two countries have also moved closer on security, signing a defence cooperation arrangement and pledging greater collaboration on maritime safety, reflecting shared concerns about stability in the Indo-Pacific.
However, rising Indian migration has made the community a flashpoint in New Zealand’s immigration debate, with Indian New Zealanders reporting more racial abuse while politicians including Winston Peters’ New Zealand First party push for tighter migrant controls. About 292,000 of New Zealand’s 5.3 million people identified as Indian in a 2023 census.
India deals with Indonesia and Australia
Indonesia and India have signed a raft of deals on critical minerals, agriculture and defence, including for the BrahMos cruise missile system, the Indonesian presidential palace said. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met President Prabowo Subianto as part of a visit to Indonesia, his first trip to the Southeast Asian country since 2023, and the pair reaffirmed their regional commitments.
“We’re two of the largest democracies in the world,” Prabowo said. “Partnerships between us will bring benefits to the region.”
BrahMos, an India-Russia joint venture missile manufacturer, and Indonesia’s defence ministry signed a contract for the BrahMos missile defense system, according to an announcement by the Indonesian palace in Jakarta, which provided no details.
Media reported earlier on Tuesday that India will supply the BrahMos cruise missile system and the Astra air-to-air missile to Indonesia, citing an Indian government official. Indian sources earlier told that the deal was worth around $630 million.
Meanwhile, Australia and India reached a deal to export Australian uranium to India for use in the nuclear energy industry, while agreeing to deepen cooperation in renewables, critical minerals and green hydrogen.
India has long eyed Australia’s uranium reserves to help meet a target of 100 gigawatts of nuclear energy capacity by 2047, while Australia is looking to diversify trade beyond its reliance on China, its top partner.
“Australia and India are close partners and even closer friends,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters in Melbourne on Thursday, after finalizing the deal with visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“The arrangement facilitates Australian uranium exports to India to help increase the share of non-fossil fuel power capacity, providing an additional market for the Australian resources sector.” No details on the volume, value or timing of the exports were immediately available.
Though both nations agreed to a nuclear cooperation pact in 2014, uranium exports have been limited over concerns they could end up in India’s nuclear weapons program. (Int’l News Desk)
