New Zealand Prime Minister Praises India's Economic Rise Under Narendra Modi

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon praised India’s economic rise under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said the 21st century will be shaped by India. Speaking at an Indian community event in Auckland on Saturday during PM Modi’s two-day visit, Luxon also welcomed the recent India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement , calling it a landmark achievement that will deepen business ties between the two countries. Luxon said the trade agreement opens a market of 1.4 billion people for New Zealand exporters while creating fresh opportunities for Indian businesses operating in New Zealand. He said the agreement marks a new phase in bilateral relations. #WATCH | Auckland | New Zealand PM Christopher Luxon says, "Our 330,000-strong Kiwi Indian community now contributes $37 billion to our economy every year. That's 9% of our GDP, and it supports 220,000 jobs. You are successful in every stratum of New Zealand society. You are… pic.twitter.com/CkQbFfeGMt “We signed the New Zealand-India Free Trade Agreement, opening a market of 1.4 billion people to our Kiwi exporters and also creating opportunities for Indian businesses here in New Zealand,” Luxon said. He added, “India is not just a country we trade with; it is a country that we grow with. It is a country we trust. For many years, people said an India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement wasn’t possible. Well, Prime Minister Modi and I did it. We got that deal done in record time.” The New Zealand Prime Minister also called PM Modi “one of the most important leaders of our time” and described him as a true friend of New Zealand, as reported by news agency ANI. He said PM Modi’s leadership has transformed India and helped improve the lives of millions of people. “He is one of the most important leaders of our time and a true friend to New Zealand. This community and this friendship are something truly extraordinary,” Luxon said. Luxon said India’s growth over the past decade has changed the country’s position in the global economy. He credited PM Modi’s leadership for major economic and social progress and said New Zealand wants to work closely with India in the years ahead. “In just the last decade, 250 million Indians were lifted out of poverty. The number of airports more than doubled to 157. About 95,000 kilometres of brand new highways have been built. India has landed a spacecraft on the Moon’s South Pole, the first nation on Earth to do that. It hosted the G20, and it will soon be the world’s third-largest economy,” he said. He added, “The 21st century will be shaped by India, and New Zealand wants to help build that future with you.” Luxon also praised India’s achievements in science and technology. He referred to the successful Chandrayaan-3 mission, which made India the first country to achieve a soft landing near the Moon’s south pole in August 2023. The New Zealand Prime Minister said PM Modi’s journey from humble beginnings to leading the world’s largest democracy has inspired people around the world. He said the country’s rapid economic progress has created new opportunities for millions of families. Calling PM Modi’s visit a historic moment, Luxon said it marked the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to New Zealand in 40 years. “Tonight, New Zealand makes history. For the first time in 40 years, an Indian Prime Minister stands on New Zealand soil. Prime Minister Modi, let me say on behalf of 5 million New Zealanders, you are worth the wait,” he said. Luxon also recalled his first visit to India in the 1990s while working for Hindustan Unilever. He said he witnessed a very different India at that time, where many workers received daily wages in coins. “I first experienced your country long before I entered politics. I was in my mid-20s as a young executive with Hindustan Unilever. That was when I first visited India. In those days, I observed workers being paid at the end of each day, often with a handful of coins because a day’s wage was counted in coins,” he said. Comparing that period with today’s India, Luxon said every visit leaves him impressed by the country’s energy, innovation and economic progress. “Look at India today. Every single time I go, I am struck all over again by the remarkable energy, the dynamism and the innovation of the Indian people. The transformation that Prime Minister Modi has led takes my breath away,” he said. Luxon said India now has one of the world’s largest middle-class populations, with around 445 million people, and the number is expected to grow further in the coming years. He said rising incomes have helped families improve their quality of life by providing better education, healthcare, holidays and retirement savings. “Prime Minister Modi, it has happened under your leadership,” he said. Earlier in the day, Luxon also praised India’s economic journey while addressing the India-New Zealand Business and Sports Engagement event in Auckland. He said he has admired India for many years and called the country’s transformation “incredible.” “As someone who has been to India many times, to see the move from low income to middle income to high income, it is so inspiring and so exciting to see the transformation that has taken place,” he said. PM Modi is on a two-day official visit to New Zealand from July 10-11 at the invitation of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. The visit is the first by an Indian Prime Minister to New Zealand in four decades. During the visit, the two countries elevated their relationship to a Strategic Partnership and adopted a Roadmap to 2030 to expand cooperation in trade, defence, technology, security and regional affairs, reported ANI.