Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a ceremonial welcome at the Government House in Auckland on Saturday as he began the final leg of his three-nation tour.
The reception included a traditional Māori
powhiri, an indigenous welcome ceremony that reflects New Zealand’s cultural heritage and values. The event highlighted the growing warmth in India-New Zealand relations during the first official visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the country in four decades.
VIDEO | New Zealand: PM Modi (@narendramodi) received a Māori ceremonial welcome after he arrived in Auckland.
(Source: Third Party)
(Full video available on PTI Videos – https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/46mvk2TtOJ
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Sharing details of the ceremony, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted on X, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a warm ceremonial welcome at the Government House in Auckland. He was honoured with a traditional Maori powhiri reflecting New Zealand’s rich indigenous heritage and cultural values.”
PM Modi arrived in Auckland on Friday evening, local time, for the final stop of his three-nation visit. New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon personally welcomed him at the airport in a special gesture, underlining the significance of the visit.
The visit marks the first official trip by an Indian Prime Minister to New Zealand in 40 years and is expected to boost cooperation between the two countries in areas including trade, investment, education, defence and people-to-people exchanges.
After arriving in Auckland, PM Modi met members of the Indian community, who welcomed him with colourful cultural performances showcasing India’s diverse traditions.
The performances included representations from Punjab and Tamil Nadu, a fusion of Carnatic and Hindustani classical music, and a rendition of Vande Mataram.
Sharing glimpses of the community event on X, PM Modi posted, “Delighted to witness a vibrant celebration of India’s rich cultural heritage during the community welcome in Auckland this evening. The performances showcased the cultures of Punjab, Tamil Nadu, a fusion of Carnatic and Hindustani classical music and a stirring rendition of Vande Mataram.”
“I compliment our diaspora for keeping India’s cultural heritage vibrant across generations and continents and for strengthening the enduring people-to-people bonds between India and New Zealand,” he added.
PM Modi also praised the performance by the Naad Vocal Ensemble, highlighting the role of music in bringing people together and strengthening global friendships.
“Delighted to witness the wonderful performance by the Naad Vocal Ensemble. Music has a unique ability to bring people together, and today’s performance beautifully reflected the warmth and depth of India-New Zealand friendship,” PM Modi posted on X.
During his Auckland visit, PM Modi is expected to hold high-level engagements focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation while celebrating the historical, cultural and community ties between India and New Zealand.
(With inputs from agencies)
