PM Modi gets special welcome in Auckland — New Zealand's iconic Sky Tower lights up in tri-colour | WATCH

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday arrived in New Zealand on the final leg of his three-nation visit, during which he will hold talks with his counterpart Christopher Luxon and address the Indian diaspora.

This is the first visit to New Zealand by an Indian prime minister in 40 years.

Modi was received by Luxon at the airport, where the two leaders exchanged a warm hug.

"Reached Auckland a short while ago. Thankful to Prime Minister Luxon for the welcome at the airport," Modi said in a post on X.

"This visit is historic, being the first Prime Ministerial visit to New Zealand in four decades. I 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," he said.

In a post on X, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said, "This historic visit is set to strengthen bilateral ties and unlock new avenues of cooperation across several areas especially trade, defence, sports, culture, education, and people-to-people exchanges."

Calling it as a "special welcome in Auckland!", the MEA in another post on X said the iconic Sky Tower was illuminated to mark Modi's visit to New Zealand, "symbolising the friendship between our two countries."

In his departure statement in New Delhi, the prime minister had said that his visit would "meaningfully build" upon the strong momentum in India-New Zealand ties pursuant to Luxon's visit to India in March 2025.

Modi said his visit to Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand will further strengthen India's Act East Policy, MAHASAGAR Vision, as well as its outlook towards a free and open Indo-Pacific.

During his two-day visit to New Zealand, he will hold talks with Luxon on ways to further enhance economic, trade and commercial engagements.

He will also address the Indian diaspora at a community programme.

Modi arrived in New Zealand after concluding a three-day visit to Australia, where he held summit talks with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and both leaders reinforced the vital role of the bilateral partnership in ensuring a peaceful Indo-Pacific.

A major highlight of the summit talks between the two leaders was their focus on significantly ramping up defence ties, especially in the maritime domain.

An agreement on civil nuclear energy to facilitate the commercial supply of uranium from Australia to India to fuel New Delhi's nuclear power projects was sealed after over two years of negotiations.

Modi was in Indonesia before that, where 14 agreements were inked to boost cooperation in critical minerals, maritime security and other key sectors.