India, NZ expand ties; to link UPI with NZ's fast-payment system

PM Modi announced India and New Zealand are expanding bilateral ties under a new Strategic Partnership. This includes connecting India's UPI with NZ's payment system, and cooperation in agriculture, education, and traditional medicine.

Highlighting the practical execution of their newly minted Strategic Partnership, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced that India and New Zealand are expanding bilateral ties across multiple sectors, including a major digital integration connecting India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) with New Zealand's fast-payment network. Addressing the Gala Lunch hosted in his honour by New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in Auckland, PM Modi stated that the two nations are successfully transforming their unique institutional strengths into real-world bilateral progress across digital tech, agriculture, education, and traditional medicine.

Expanding Practical Cooperation

"Friends, to make our Strategic Partnership meaningful, we are turning the strengths of both countries into practical cooperation. In the field of Fintech, we are moving ahead with connecting India's UPI and New Zealand's payment system. In agriculture, dairy, and food processing, we have developed a strong framework for cooperation, which will benefit our farmers and cattle rearers," the Prime Minister said.

Cultural and Educational Cooperation

Focusing heavily on expanding cultural and institutional footprints, PM Modi invited New Zealand's premier educational institutions to scale up their presence in India under new, relaxed policies. "The Cultural Cooperation MOU signed today will boost exchanges in the arts, culture, heritage, and creative industries of both countries. New Zealand has been an important destination for Indian students. We invite New Zealand universities to open campuses in India," PM Modi added, while further announcing a mutual push to mainstream traditional medicine systems in healthcare cooperation.

Role of the Indian Diaspora

Lauding the local diaspora, the Prime Minister described the Kiwi-Indian community as the bedrock of this diplomatic success. "Friends, the strongest strength of our relations is our people-to-people ties. People of the Indian community, through their hard work and talent, have carved out a special place for themselves in New Zealand. I thank Prime Minister Luxon, the New Zealand government, and the people of New Zealand for their care," he noted.

The personal statements of the leaders were mirrored in the India-New Zealand Joint Statement, which formally recognised the Indian community as an "integral and valued part of New Zealand's diverse society" and a "living bridge" that drives the economy, culture, and public life of both nations. Beyond corporate and digital trade, the two leaders heralded an ambitious sports matrix, welcoming the "100 Years of Unity Through Sport in 2026" and a comprehensive "India-New Zealand Joint Action Plan on Sport." This plan sets up a practical framework to exchange expertise in high-performance sports, coaching, and sports science. Furthermore, cultural and historical ties received an institutional boost via a new arrangement linking India's National Maritime Heritage Complex in Lothal with the New Zealand Maritime Museum.

The sweeping cross-sector announcements form the core of the newly adopted "Roadmap to 2030," signed during the historic two-day visit, the first by an Indian Prime Minister to New Zealand in 40 years. (ANI)

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