New Zealand PM Christopher Luxon Welcomes PM Modi at Historic Auckland Diaspora Event
AUCKLAND, New Zealand — New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon welcomed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a packed Indian diaspora event in Auckland on Friday, describing the visit as “worth the wait” and calling the evening a historic milestone in the relationship between the two countries.
Addressing more than 10,000 members of the Indian community at the “Kia Ora Modi” event, Luxon said it was the first visit by an Indian prime minister to New Zealand in 40 years and praised the extraordinary enthusiasm inside one of the country’s premier entertainment venues.
“Prime Minister Modi, let me say, on behalf of five million New Zealanders, you are worth the wait,” Luxon said. “This venue has hosted some of the world’s biggest stars, but I have never felt an atmosphere like this in this auditorium.”
Luxon used the occasion to highlight India’s economic transformation over the past decade, crediting Modi’s leadership with lifting an estimated 250 million people out of poverty and overseeing rapid infrastructure development. He noted that India’s middle class has grown to approximately 445 million people, while the country has expanded its airport network, built thousands of kilometers of highways, and achieved major milestones in space exploration, including becoming the first nation to successfully land a spacecraft near the Moon’s south pole.
“That is one of the greatest advances in human dignity the world has ever seen,” Luxon said, referring to India’s economic progress.
The New Zealand leader also emphasized India’s growing influence on the global stage, saying the nation is poised to become the world’s third-largest economy and that “the 21st century will be shaped by India.”
“New Zealand wants to help build that future alongside India,” he said.
Luxon praised New Zealand’s Indian community for its contributions to the country’s economy, society, and culture, describing it as an integral part of the nation’s identity.
“You have enriched our country economically, socially, and culturally, and without you, we simply wouldn’t be the New Zealand we are today,” he said. “I see how incredibly hard you work to get ahead… to give your children opportunities you never had.”
Introducing Modi to the audience, Luxon described him as “one of the most important leaders of our time and a true friend to New Zealand.”
The Auckland event marked one of the largest gatherings of the Indian diaspora ever held in New Zealand and underscored the strengthening relationship between the two nations as they seek to deepen cooperation in trade, investment, education, and people-to-people ties. (Source: IANS)
