Sports have always been strong bridge between India and New Zealand: PM Modi
Auckland, July 11
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday noted that sports have always been a strong bridge between India and New Zealand, and this year both countries are also marking a century of vibrant sporting ties
PM Modi's visit to New Zealand, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in 40 years, is the final leg of his three-nation tour, which also included Indonesia and Australia.
"Sports have always been a strong bridge between India and New Zealand. This year, we are also marking a century of vibrant sporting ties," PM Modi said in a post on X.
PM Modi also highlighted the role of technology and creativity in transforming the future of sports and strengthening the relations between the two nations at the same time.
"In Auckland, PM Luxon and I attended a Sporting Showcase, where we saw a range of cutting-edge sporting innovations. It was wonderful to see how technology and creativity are shaping the future of sports while bringing our two nations even closer", PM Modi added in his post.
Earlier in the day, PM Modi attended a Gala Lunch hosted in his honour by New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, where he reiterated that the newly launched India-New Zealand Joint Action Plan on Sport would help expand cooperation beyond cricket.
"To increase cooperation in other sports along with cricket, we have created a Sports Joint Action Plan. A good start has been made recently with a coaching program by New Zealand Rugby and Rugby India in Bhubaneswar," Modi had said during the Gala Lunch event.
Thanking his Kiwi counterpart, the Prime Minister had said, "Prime Minister Luxon, I thank you for your friendship, your commitment, and for making my New Zealand journey memorable. Just as teamwork and trust are necessary in rugby, we too will move forward with mutual trust. We are on the same team, so we will tackle only the challenges. Thank you very much."
The sporting partnership has already gained momentum through a two-day high-performance coaching programme jointly organised by Rugby India and New Zealand Rugby at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar in May. Conducted under the Memorandum of Cooperation on Sport signed between the two governments, the initiative brought together Indian coaches for classroom sessions, practical demonstrations and workshops led by New Zealand Rugby experts.
According to the India-New Zealand Joint Statement, both Prime Ministers welcomed celebrations marking '100 Years of Unity Through Sport' in 2026 and endorsed the India-New Zealand Joint Action Plan on Sport as a framework to strengthen cooperation in high-performance sport, coaching, sports science, participation, sports business and exchanges between national sporting organisations.
— ANI
Reader Comments
As a sports fan, I love this! New Zealand and India have always had a warm relationship, and now we're expanding beyond cricket. Rugby coaching is fantastic for our athletes. Hope this leads to more bilateral tournaments and exchange programs.
Finally, an Indian PM visiting New Zealand after 40 years! Sports is indeed a soft power bridge. The technology angle is interesting too - would love to see more innovation sharing in sports science. Good job, Modi ji 👍
Love how PM Modi connects with world leaders through shared interests! Rugby and cricket are both great unifiers. The 'same team' comment was pure class. Hope this translates into more grassroots development for Indian athletes.
Good initiative, but I hope we don't forget our own sports like kabaddi and kho kho while promoting rugby. Still, New Zealand is a great sports nation to learn from. Balanced approach would be ideal.
100 years of sporting ties - that's incredible! From cricket legends like Tendulkar to our hockey teams, the bond is strong. Technology in sports is the future, and NZ is a pioneer. Exciting times ahead! 🏏⚡
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.