New Zealand: Iconic Sky Tower sports Indian tricolour as PM Modi begins visit
Auckland, July 10
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 visit of an Indian PM in four decades.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal shared the visuals of the Sky Tower and underlined that the gesture symbolised the bonhomie between the two partners.
"A special welcome in Auckland! The iconic Sky Tower was illuminated to mark the visit of PM @narendramodi to New Zealand, symbolising the friendship between our two countries," the MEA spokesperson wrote on X.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi 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 and highlighted that his visit is the first Indian Prime Ministerial visit to the nation in four decades.
"Reached Auckland a short while ago. Thankful to Prime Minister Luxon for the welcome at the airport. This visit is historic, being the first Prime Ministerial visit to New Zealand in four decades," he wrote.
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, Prime Minister will hold bilateral discussions with Prime Minister Luxon 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 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 earlier held a bilateral meeting in New Delhi on March 17, 2025 during the official visit of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to India.
Before arriving in Auckland, PM Modi concluded a highly successful visit to Australia during which he participated in the third Australia-India Annual Leaders' Summit along with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese.
The visit marked a significant milestone in the two nations' six-year Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
The meeting, hosted in Melbourne, resulted in a landmark suite of agreements focused on reinforcing the Indo-Pacific's security architecture, securing critical mineral supply chains, and accelerating the transition to clean energy.
— ANI
Reader Comments
As a Kiwi, I think this is a beautiful gesture. We have a vibrant Indian community here and they contribute so much to our society. The Sky Tower lighting is a small but meaningful symbol of our growing ties. Looking forward to seeing what comes out of these talks.
Great diplomacy! First Australia, now NZ - Modi sahab is really putting India on the global map. The FTA with NZ is a game changer for our dairy and pharma sectors. But I hope we also focus on getting better deals for our farmers and small businesses. Bilateral trade should benefit everyone, not just big corporates.
My cousin in Auckland sent me photos of the Sky Tower last night! She said there's so much excitement in the Indian community there. It's heartwarming to see our diaspora being acknowledged. These people-to-people connections are the real strength of India-NZ relations. Jai Hind! 🇮🇳🕉️
I'm an Australian living in Auckland and I must say, the Indian community here has really come alive with this visit. Good to see PM Modi engaging with all sectors - business, sports, diaspora. India is an important partner for the whole region. The security cooperation agreements from the Australia visit look promising too.
Historic indeed! But let's also remember that NZ has a large Indian diaspora who have been maintaining cultural ties for decades. Would love to see more student exchange programs and easier visa processes for Indians wanting to study or work in NZ. The FTA is nice, but real partnership is about people, not just trade numbers. 🤝
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