What to expect from Modi's Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand visits

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has embarked on a six-day tour of Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand, marking one of India's most significant overseas engagements in the Indo-Pacific region this year.

Scheduled from Monday to Saturday, the three-nation visit is expected to cover a broad range of issues, including maritime security, defence cooperation, trade and investment, emerging technologies, mobility, cultural exchanges and people-to-people ties.

The visit comes at a time when India has been steadily expanding its strategic partnerships across the Indo-Pacific while simultaneously strengthening economic links with key regional partners.

In his departure statement before leaving from Delhi, Modi stated, "My visit to Indonesia and Australia in the Eastern and Southern Indian Ocean, respectively, followed by New Zealand, will further strengthen India's Act East Policy, MAHASAGAR Vision as well as our outlook towards a free and open Indo-Pacific."

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MAHASAGAR, or Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security Across the Regions, represents India's vision for promoting collective security, sustainable development and regional cooperation across maritime spaces.

The first leg of the prime minister's visit takes him to Indonesia from July 6 to July 8 at the invitation of President Prabowo Subianto.

From there, he will travel to Melbourne in Australia between July 8 and July 10 at the invitation of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese before concluding the visit in Auckland, New Zealand, on July 10 and July 11 following an invitation from Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.

Modi in Indonesia

This marks Modi's first bilateral visit to Indonesia since India and Indonesia elevated their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during his previous visit in 2018.

It also follows Subianto's visit to India as the Chief Guest for the Republic Day celebrations in January 2025.

Given Indonesia's strategic location near several of the world's busiest shipping routes, maritime cooperation is expected to feature prominently during the bilateral discussions.

Both countries have steadily expanded collaboration on maritime security in recent years, particularly under India's MAHASAGAR framework. Officials are expected to review ongoing cooperation aimed at safeguarding sea lanes across the eastern Indian Ocean while also discussing broader regional security issues.

The two countries have already institutionalised several defence dialogues to facilitate closer military engagement which includes the ongoing discussions on the highly coveted BrahMos missile system.

One milestone came in November 2025 when Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Indonesian Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin co-chaired the third India-Indonesia Defence Ministers' Dialogue in New Delhi.

Military cooperation has also expanded through joint exercises. The tenth edition of Exercise Garuda Shakti, involving the special forces of both countries, was conducted in Bakloh, Himachal Pradesh, between December 3 and December 12, 2025. The exercise focused on enhancing interoperability while strengthening capabilities in counter-terrorism operations.

Naval cooperation has similarly grown through the recurring Exercise Samudra Shakti, which concentrates on maritime operations and security around strategically important waterways, including the Malacca Strait.

Indonesia serves as one of ASEAN's most influential members and sits astride some of the world's busiest maritime trade routes, making it central to India's maritime and Act East engagement.

India and Indonesia remain important trading partners, with bilateral trade reaching approximately $16.55 billion during the 2025-26 fiscal year. Indonesia continues to be a major supplier of several raw materials that are critical for India's economy.

Among India's principal imports from Indonesia are coal and briquettes, valued at approximately $7.95 billion annually, followed by crude palm oil and vegetable fats worth around $4.35 billion, along with copper ore.

India's exports to Indonesia include refined petroleum products, automobiles and automotive components, machinery and organic chemicals. Despite the robust commercial relationship, India continues to record a sizeable trade deficit with Indonesia, largely due to its dependence on imports of coal, palm oil and other commodities.

According to official figures, cumulative Foreign Direct Investment from Indonesia into India stood at $659.30 million between April 2000 and March 2025.

During the visit, both sides are also expected to explore opportunities to strengthen cooperation in digital public infrastructure (DPI), an area in which India has increasingly become a global partner.

One of the highlights of the programme will see Modi and Prabowo travel together to Yogyakarta to visit the Prambanan Temple complex.

The ninth-century UNESCO World Heritage Site is recognised as one of Southeast Asia's largest Hindu temple complexes and is widely regarded as a lasting reminder of the centuries-old civilisational exchanges between the Indian subcontinent and the Indonesian archipelago.

The prime minister is also scheduled to engage with members of the Indian community in Indonesia, recognising the diaspora's role in strengthening bilateral ties through business, education, culture and people-to-people exchanges.

Modi in Australia

Following the conclusion of his engagements in Indonesia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel Down Under for the second leg of his three-nation visit.

The visit comes at the invitation of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese but unlike several previous high-level visits that centred on Canberra, the choice of Melbourne as the principal venue reflects the importance attached to industry, with major engagements planned alongside meetings with the Australian leadership.

India and Australia have witnessed one of the fastest transformations in bilateral relations among New Delhi's Indo-Pacific partnerships over the past five years.

Cooperation now extends well beyond traditional diplomacy, encompassing defence interoperability, higher education, mobility agreements and collaboration through regional groupings such as the Quad.

The prime minister is also scheduled to interact with members of the Indian community in Melbourne during the visit.

Australia has also emerged as one of India's most significant trading partners in the Indo-Pacific, with merchandise trade continuing to expand following the implementation of the India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA).

According to data, bilateral trade during the 2025-26 financial year stood at approximately $13.93 billion, while overall annual merchandise trade has remained in the range of $24 billion to $26 billion.

A massive milestone in the economic relationship was reached on January earlier this year, when all Indian exports entering Australia became eligible for 100 per cent zero-duty market access under the ECTA.

India's exports to Australia have increased from around $4 billion in FY21 to nearly $8.5 billion, illustrating the impact of the agreement as trade between the two countries continues to be driven by complementary economic strengths.

India imports significant quantities of coking coal and bituminous coal from Australia, with recent imports valued at approximately $4.32 billion. Other major imports include natural pearls, precious stones and mineral ores.

Indian exports to Australia include refined petroleum products, valued at around $1.79 billion, along with machinery, pharmaceuticals, textiles and several manufactured goods.

While ECTA has substantially expanded market access, both governments are now working towards a more ambitious trade framework.

Negotiations are underway to upgrade the existing agreement into a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), which would broaden trade liberalisation and deepen economic integration between the two countries.

Officials from both sides have already completed 11 rounds of negotiations aimed at finalising the expanded agreement.

One of the major highlights of the Australian leg will be Modi's participation in the India-Australia CEOs Forum, where he is expected to engage with leading business executives from both countries.

Industry leaders are likely to examine how businesses from both countries can better utilise preferential market access under ECTA while identifying new opportunities in areas such as clean energy, digital technologies, critical minerals, advanced manufacturing and innovation.

Security cooperation has also become one of the defining features of India-Australia relations.

The two countries have significantly strengthened defence engagement over recent years through regular military exercises, strategic dialogues and closer coordination across land, maritime, air and cyber domains.

One of the most significant developments came in October 2025, when Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met Australia's Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles during his visit to Australia.

The meeting resulted in the institutionalisation of an annual Defence Ministers' Dialogue, providing both countries with a regular mechanism to coordinate defence policies and review cooperation across military services.

As members of the Quad, alongside the United States and Japan, India and Australia continue to work together on maintaining maritime security, strengthening resilient supply chains and promoting stability across the Indo-Pacific.

The annual Malabar naval exercise remains one of the most visible demonstrations of this cooperation, bringing together the navies of Quad partners for complex maritime operations.

Space cooperation and aerospace partnerships are also likely to feature among the issues discussed.

Beyond traditional defence and trade, emerging technologies, including critical technologies, are expected to receive considerable attention during the bilateral talks.

Both governments have increasingly identified areas such as advanced manufacturing, digital innovation, artificial intelligence, semiconductor ecosystems and resilient technology supply chains as important pillars of future cooperation.

Education also remains one of the strongest links connecting the two countries. Australia continues to be a preferred destination for thousands of Indian students, while institutional partnerships between universities have expanded steadily in recent years.

Mobility arrangements are expected to be reviewed during the visit as both governments seek to facilitate smoother movement of students, professionals and skilled workers. Among the most significant initiatives is the Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-career Professionals Scheme (MATES).

The programme provides 3,000 annual places for highly qualified Indian graduates and early-career professionals, enabling them to live and work in Australia while expanding opportunities for professional collaboration between the two countries.

Sports cooperation is another area expected to receive renewed attention.

Given Melbourne's reputation as one of the world's leading sporting cities, discussions are also expected to examine collaboration in sports and sports science, with a visit to the legendary Melbourne Cricket Ground also reportedly on the itinerary.

Modi in New Zealand

The final leg of Modi's three-nation tour will take him to Auckland.

The visit carries particular historical significance as it will be the first bilateral visit by an Indian prime minister to New Zealand in nearly four decades.

It also follows Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's visit to India in March 2025, which injected fresh momentum into bilateral relations and accelerated negotiations that ultimately resulted in the signing of a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (FTA) earlier this year.

Alongside official engagements, the Prime Minister is also expected to interact with members of New Zealand's Indian community.

The visit is expected to revolve around translating the newly signed trade agreement into concrete outcomes while exploring opportunities for broader cooperation across investment, defence, education, mobility, healthcare and regional security.

The India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement signed on April 27 forms the centrepiece of this visit.

The discussions between Modi and Luxon are expected to focus on the roadmap for implementing the agreement and ensuring that businesses in both countries are able to benefit once it comes into force.

Under the agreement, New Zealand has committed to providing 100 per cent immediate duty-free market access to all Indian goods from the date the agreement becomes operational, which is expected following parliamentary ratification processes later this year.

India, meanwhile, has adopted what both governments describe as a calibrated approach to market access. Under its commitments, India has opened 70.03 per cent of its tariff lines, representing around 95 per cent of New Zealand's export value.

Rather than eliminating tariffs across every category immediately, India has provided phased tariff reductions and Tariff Rate Quotas (TRQs) for selected New Zealand products, including kiwifruit, apples and premium wine.

At the same time, New Delhi has retained protection for sectors regarded as highly sensitive.

The agreement specifically excludes dairy products — including milk, butter, cheese and whey — as well as certain agricultural commodities such as onions, pulses, sugar and spices from tariff liberalisation, reflecting India's efforts to safeguard domestic farmers and micro, small and medium enterprises.

Although trade between India and New Zealand has traditionally remained modest compared with India's commerce with larger Indo-Pacific economies, bilateral trade has recorded notable growth over the past two years.

According to latest figures, total trade increased from $873 million in FY24 to approximately $1.3 billion in FY25, representing a rise of nearly 49 per cent. India's exports to New Zealand continue to be led by garments and textiles, valued at approximately $65 million, followed by pharmaceuticals worth around $48 million.

One of the most substantial announcements linked to the agreement is New Zealand's commitment to direct and facilitate up to $20 billion in investments into India over the next 15 years.

The proposed investments are expected to prioritise sectors including renewable energy, infrastructure development and advanced agricultural technologies.

In addition to discussions with the New Zealand government, Modi is also expected to engage with business leaders as both countries seek to strengthen commercial partnerships beyond traditional trade.

Education has emerged as another important area of collaboration between India and New Zealand. The FTA introduces new provisions aimed at facilitating the movement of students and skilled professionals between the two countries.

Among the measures included in the agreement are specialised Temporary Employment Entry (TEE) visa pathways, along with streamlined post-study work protections designed to support student mobility and skilled migration.

Under the trade pact, New Zealand also became one of the first developed economies to formally create structured market pathways for India's AYUSH-related traditional medicine and wellness services.

Although economic engagement dominates the current agenda, India and New Zealand have also expanded conversations on strategic and security issues. As maritime nations located across the broader Indo-Pacific region, both countries have shown increasing interest in strengthening cooperation on regional stability and maritime governance.

Recent discussions have focused on Maritime Domain Awareness, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR), as well as broader security architectures across the South Pacific.

The leaders are expected to review these areas of cooperation during their meeting while exploring opportunities to strengthen dialogue on regional security challenges.

The prime minister is also expected to interact with prominent members of the sporting community, reflecting the longstanding cricketing links between India and New Zealand.

With inputs from agencies