PM Modi begins final leg of 3-nation tour, heads to New Zealand after sealing key deals in Australia

Prime Minister Narendra Modi left Melbourne for Auckland, New Zealand, on Friday, as he began the final leg of his three-nation tour. His departure comes after the India-Australia Annual Leaders' Summit, where the two countries signed several key agreements to strengthen bilateral ties.

PM Modi is visiting New Zealand at the invitation of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. The two-day official visit (July 10–11) carries immense diplomatic weight, as it will be the first state visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the Pacific nation in 40 years.

A highly successful Australian leg

The Prime Minister’s departure from Australia capped a packed, three-day itinerary revolving heavily around trade, clean energy transition, and security cooperation.

During the summit in Melbourne, PM Modi and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese finalised a series of agreements aimed at reinforcing Indo-Pacific security architectures and locking down critical mineral supply chains.

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A central highlight of the Melbourne summit was the release of a new Joint Declaration on Defence and Security Cooperation, which effectively replaces the outdated 2009 security pact and establishes an India-Australia Defence Innovation Corridor. Plus, the two nations finalised administrative arrangements for the 2015 Nuclear Cooperation Agreement, paving the way for the export of Australian uranium to India for peaceful, civil nuclear energy programmes.

Before emplaning, PM Modi also interacted with top corporate leaders at the India-Australia CEOs Forum and addressed a massive gathering of the Indian diaspora in Melbourne.

Anticipation builds in Auckland

PM Modi is expected to receive a warm welcome from New Zealand's Indian community, which numbers around 300,000.

During his visit to Auckland, he will hold talks with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to discuss bilateral ties, with a focus on the recently signed India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement, maritime cooperation and defence.

The Prime Minister will also meet business leaders and members of the Indian diaspora. He is scheduled to address the community at the "Kia Ora Modi" event at Auckland's Spark Arena.

Before visiting Australia, PM Modi began his three-nation tour in Indonesia, where he held bilateral talks with President Prabowo Subianto.