PM Modi's three-nation tour to begin on July 8; first Indian PM to visit New Zealand in 40 years

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand from July 8 to 11, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said, with the tour focusing on bilateral cooperation across areas including maritime affairs, trade, technology and strategic partnerships.

The visit will begin in Indonesia on July 8 and 9, followed by Australia on July 10 and New Zealand on July 11.

Indonesia and Australia engagements

In Indonesia, Modi’s engagements will be centred in Jakarta. He will also travel to Yogyakarta, where he is scheduled to visit the Prambanan Temple complex.
According to the MEA, India and Indonesia will collaborate on conservation work at the site as part of their cultural cooperation.

The ministry said the visit also reflects India’s engagement in the eastern maritime region of the Indian Ocean under its Act East policy.

On July 10, Modi will be in Melbourne to participate in the third India-Australia Annual Summit.

The last summit, held in 2023, discussed cooperation in the areas of defence, trade and investments, education, skills, renewable energy, space, sports.

The agenda is expected to include critical minerals, cybersecurity, supply chain resilience, emerging technologies and other areas of bilateral cooperation.

New Zealand visit after FTA

Modi will travel to New Zealand on July 11 for talks with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, marking the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to New Zealand in 40 years.

Ahead of the visit, Luxon said in a post on X that he was “delighted” to welcome Modi on his first official visit to New Zealand.

He said India was one of the world’s largest economies and that the two countries were taking their relationship forward through the New Zealand-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA), signed in April.

Luxon said the agreement would expand opportunities for goods and services exports to India and support jobs and economic activity in New Zealand.

The visit follows the signing of the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement in April after nine months of negotiations.

The agreement provides for tariff elimination on Indian exports to New Zealand, contains provisions on investment, services, digital trade and government procurement, and includes measures covering small businesses and women-led enterprises.

The two countries have said the agreement is intended to increase bilateral trade and investment while strengthening economic cooperation.