New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon praised India’s remarkable economic transformation under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, describing the country’s progress over the past three decades as “incredible.” Speaking at the India–New Zealand Business and Sports Engagement event in Auckland on Saturday, Luxon said he had admired India’s growth for many years and expressed optimism about expanding bilateral cooperation.
Recalling his first visit to India in the 1990s while working for Unilever, Luxon reflected on how dramatically the country has changed since then. He said India had evolved from a low-income economy into one with a rapidly expanding middle class, calling the transformation both inspiring and impressive.
Luxon credited Prime Minister Modi’s leadership for accelerating India’s development, noting that millions of people had been lifted out of poverty and that the country’s growing middle class had become a major driver of economic progress. Having visited India several times over the years, he said witnessing the nation’s journey firsthand had been truly remarkable.
The New Zealand Prime Minister also extended a warm welcome to Narendra Modi, thanking him for visiting New Zealand along with a delegation of leading Indian business representatives. He recalled their first meeting in Laos, where Modi had shared details of India’s rapid infrastructure expansion, including airport development, higher education growth, and the increasing demand for domestic aviation.
Highlighting future opportunities, Luxon said India and New Zealand have enormous potential to strengthen cooperation in agriculture, food exports, tourism, education, technology, and innovation. He noted that as India’s economy continues to expand and consumer spending rises, New Zealand businesses will have greater opportunities to supply premium products and services to the Indian market.
Luxon also pointed to New Zealand’s growing capabilities beyond agriculture, noting that the country has emerged as one of the world’s leading rocket-launching nations, creating new avenues for collaboration in advanced technology and space-related industries.
Emphasising the importance of stronger economic ties, he welcomed the India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement, saying it would create the right environment for investment, trade, and long-term growth. However, he stressed that businesses from both countries would ultimately be responsible for turning those opportunities into tangible economic outcomes that improve living standards.
Referring to the ideas of psychiatrist Viktor Frankl, Luxon said sustainable national development depends on governments, businesses, and communities working together. He encouraged entrepreneurs and industry leaders from both nations to deepen commercial partnerships and build lasting relationships.
Concluding his address, Luxon urged New Zealand businesses to better understand the Indian market by engaging directly with Indian consumers and finding the right local partners. He described Indian consumers as among the most discerning in the world and encouraged companies to tailor their products and services to unlock the vast opportunities offered by one of the world’s fastest-growing economies.
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