Auckland [New Zealand], July 10 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday met members of the Indian diaspora as he begins the last leg of his three-nation visit.

He expressed deep gratitude to the Indian community and underlined how their jubilant enthusiasm was palpable upon his arrival.

'The love and affection of New Zealand's Indian community touched me deeply. They have waited four decades for the visit of an Indian Prime Minister and their extraordinary enthusiasm and warmth were visible today. Their bond with India remains unwavering,' PM Modi said in a post on X.

https://x.com/narendramodi/status/2075536751851098357?s=20

Earlier, New Zealand's iconic Sky Tower was lit in the colours of India's national flag as Prime Minister Narendra Modi began his historic visit to the country- the first by an Indian Prime Minister in the last four decades.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal shared the visuals of the Sky Tower in a post on X and underlined that the gesture symbolised the bonhomie between the two partners.

https://x.com/MEAIndia/status/2075532423484612779?s=20

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called his visit to New Zealand 'historic' shortly after arriving in Auckland.

In a post on X, PM Modi thanked New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon for welcoming him at the airport.

Sharing visuals from his welcome, PM Modi expressed optimism towards the scheduled talks with PM Luxon regarding the bilateral partnership between the two nations and the community address in Auckland.

'Look forward to holding talks with Prime Minister Luxon and discussing the complete range of the India-NZ friendship. I will also be addressing a community programme tomorrow in Auckland,' PM Modi wrote.

In Auckland, PM Modi will hold bilateral discussions with his counterpart and review the entire gamut of the bilateral relationship, which has seen significant progress in the last two years, especially in the areas of trade and commerce and defence, as per a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs.

While in Auckland, Prime Minister will also interact with prominent business and sports personalities. In a reflection of the strong people-to-people ties that exist between India and New Zealand, Prime Minister will address a large gathering of the Indian Diaspora during the visit, as per MEA.

After the signing of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in April this year, the visit of Prime Minister Modi is expected to work as a catalyst and generate momentum in trade and bilateral relations. Both the PMs have also held a bilateral meeting in New Delhi on March 17, 2025 during the official visit of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to India. (ANI)