New Zealand PM Luxon hails India’s ‘incredible’ growth story, urges stronger business ties

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on Saturday (July 11, 2026) praised India’s “incredible” economic transformation and called on businesses in both countries to deepen engagement to open new markets and trade opportunities.

Mr. Luxon made the remark at an interaction themed “India-New Zealand: A Winning Partnership” attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a two-day visit to the country.

Also read: Highlights of PM Modi’s visit to New Zealand on 11 July 2026

Speaking at the meeting, the Kiwi Prime Minister said he has long been a “big fan” of India.

“I first went to India in my mid-20s. That was because I worked for a company called Unilever, which of course also owns Hindustan Unilever, which is among the top 10 companies in India,” he told the gathering of a select group of CEOs and business leaders.

Mr. Luxon said he traveled to India in the mid-to-late ’90s where people were paid their daily wages in coins.

“It is interesting to me that Prime Minister Modi has lifted 250 million people out of poverty under his leadership. There are currently 440 million people in the middle class and by the end of the decade, this number is about to reach 750 million,” he said, calling it an “incredible transformation”.

“As someone who has been to India many times and seen the transition from low income to middle income to high income, it is very inspiring and exciting to see the transformation that is taking place as India’s 1.4 billion Indian community becomes richer,” he said.

Emphasizing that there are many areas in which India and New Zealand can cooperate, Mr. Luxon listed food and production, tourism experiences, educational institutions and technology as possible sectors for cooperation.

Citing a book by Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist Victor Frankl, which said that government, business leaders and community leaders are the three major actors in a society, he urged all three to come together to realize the huge opportunities that India and New Zealand have together.

“So I encourage you all… the responsibility for this relationship lies with you, and we wish you all the best as we work together to open new markets and new opportunities,” Mr. Luxon told business leaders.

He encouraged New Zealand businesses to travel to India and learn about their consumers, describing them as the “most insightful” people in the world.

“Learn about the markets, find the right partners, understand how to customize your product and service so you can create opportunities in both India and New Zealand,” he said.

Prime Minister Modi also spoke at the event and invited New Zealand’s business leaders to invest in various sectors of the Indian economy.

He emphasized that the two countries’ shared democratic values, diversity and commitment to sustainable development provide a solid foundation for an ambitious, forward-looking economic partnership.

He also talked about the India-New Zealand free trade agreement, which was signed in April this year, saying that it would add depth and dynamism to the bilateral economic ties and open new opportunities for market access, investment and talent mobility.

Prime Minister Modi also held wide-ranging talks with Mr. Luxon, which produced 18 significant outcomes, including elevating bilateral relations to the level of strategic partnership.