Auckland [New Zealand], July 11 (ANI): Reaffirming that geographical distance is no obstacle to economic and technical collaboration, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon jointly evaluated a cutting-edge sports equipment and technology exhibition in Auckland on Saturday, highlighting innovation as a core driver of their freshly minted Strategic Partnership.

The event, hosted by Prime Minister Luxon, brought together a high-profile assembly of leaders from global commerce, academia, technology, sports, and the creative arts to celebrate the historic elevation of bilateral relations.

MEA Official Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal tracked the engagement, noting that the two Prime Ministers took an extensive walkthrough of New Zealand's innovative sports equipment display, witnessing state-of-the-art technologies demonstrated firsthand by some of New Zealand's leading athletes and iconic sporting figures.

In a post on X, Jaiswal said, 'PM @narendramodi, together with PM @chrisluxonmp, took a walkthrough of New Zealand's innovative sports equipment display. The leaders witnessed cutting-edge sports equipment and technologies, demonstrated by some of New Zealand's leading athletes and sporting icons.'

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Earlier in the day, Randhir Jaiswal announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended a special event hosted by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.

In a post on X, he said, 'India-New Zealand: A Winning Partnership. Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended a special event hosted by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, bringing together leaders from business, academia, technology, sports and the arts. The two leaders welcomed the elevation of India-New Zealand ties to a Strategic Partnership. PM highlighted the opportunities created by the recently concluded FTA including for the businesses, the youth and farmers and help achieve the target of doubling bilateral trade by 2030.'

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Addressing the gathering, PM Modi strongly emphasised the massive structural opportunities created by the recently concluded Free Trade Agreement (FTA), noting that the pact is specifically calibrated to benefit businesses, the youth, and farmers while aggressively driving the bilateral mandate to double two-way trade by 2030.

Echoing the absolute economic potential of the trade pact, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon underscored the immediate, high-value financial relief the trade framework introduces for Kiwi exporters trying to tap into India's massive consumer base

PM Modi also met with leading CEOs from New Zealand and India alongside Luxon.

In a post on X, Jaiswal said, 'PM Narendra Modi met with leading CEOs from New Zealand and India alongside PM Christopher Luxon. The discussions underscored the India-New Zealand FTA as a landmark milestone and set an ambitious target of doubling bilateral trade by 2030. The leaders emphasised leveraging each other's strengths and complementarities while deepening cooperation in trade, investment, innovation, sustainable agriculture, and technology.'

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Earlier in the day, Luxon said, 'New Zealand and India bookend the Indo-Pacific, but distance is no barrier to us working together to grow our economies. That's what we're doing through our free trade agreement, which will eliminate tariffs on 57% of everything we sell to India on day one.'

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The Prime Ministers directed Ministers and senior officials to maintain close engagement and ensure timely implementation of the initiatives set out in the Roadmap to 2030. They agreed that progress would be reviewed regularly by Ministers and senior officials.

Prime Minister Modi thanked Prime Minister Luxon and the Government and people of New Zealand for the warm hospitality extended to him and his delegation. The two leaders agreed to maintain the momentum of high-level exchanges and to realise the full potential of the India-New Zealand Strategic Partnership.

At the invitation of Luxon, Prime Minister Modi is on an official visit to Auckland, New Zealand, on 10 and 11 July 2026. The visit is the first by an Indian Prime Minister to New Zealand in 40 years, marking a historic milestone and charting a new course in the enduring friendship and partnership between the two nations. (ANI)