New Zealand PM Luxon arrives on 5-day India visit

Luxon said travelling with a senior business delegation will help increase trade and business opportunities and promote New Zealand as an investment destination.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on Sunday began a five-day visit to India with a focus on deepening the bilateral trade and economic ties with New Delhi.

On Monday, Luxon will hold wide-ranging talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and will grace the inaugural session of the Raisina Dialogue as the chief guest.

Ahead of the Modi-Luxon talks, the two nations announced the launch of negotiations for a comprehensive and mutually beneficial India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement.

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Shortly after arriving in the national capital, the leader of the wealthy Pacific nation described India as a country of “huge importance” to New Zealand’s prosperity, security, and society.

“India provides huge economic opportunity for Kiwis. That’s why I’m here and that’s why I’ve brought a senior delegation of business and community leaders with me,” he wrote on X.

Days ahead of the trip, the New Zealand prime minister said he would push for a comprehensive economic partnership with India and explore ways to strengthen bilateral security ties.

Luxon is visiting India from March 16 to 20 in his first trip to the country as prime minister. He is accompanied by one of the largest delegations a New Zealand prime minister has ever travelled with.

The visiting leader was received at the Delhi airport by Union Minister S P Singh Baghel.

“What I’m looking for is a much more comprehensive economic partnership and how we’d move that forward,” Luxon said last week, adding, “I am determined that we are going to change the trading relationships with India big time.”

The New Zealand PM also described India as an “important” power in the Indo-Pacific.

“India is an important power in the Indo-Pacific and I will discuss with Prime Minister Modi what more we can do together to maintain peace and prosperity in our region,” he said.

Luxon said travelling with a senior business delegation will help increase trade and business opportunities and promote New Zealand as an investment destination.

The delegation accompanying the New Zealand prime minister comprises ministers, senior business leaders, a community delegation of prominent Kiwi Indians and several parliamentarians.

Luxon will also visit Mumbai from March 19 to 20 before returning to Wellington.