New Zealand PM recalls seeing Indians paid in coins during 90s visit, praises PM Modi for transformation

New Zealand and India have elevated their relationship by announcing a "strategic partnership" that encompasses defense and security, coinciding with a significant visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The partnership marks a new phase in bilateral ties, aiming to foster greater cooperation.

During the India-New Zealand Business and Sport Engagement event in Auckland, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon lauded India's remarkable economic transformation under Prime Minister Modi's leadership. Luxon credited Modi with lifting an estimated 250 million people out of poverty and described India's progress as "an incredible transformation." He recalled his own experiences visiting India in the 1990s, when he worked for Unilever. "I remember going to India in the mid to late '90s and people got paid daily wages in coins in their hands," Luxon said, highlighting the dramatic changes the country has undergone.

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For many of you, you would know that I have been a great fan of India for a long time. I first went to India when I was in my mid 20's. That was because I worked for a country called Unilever, which owned Hindustan Lever, which was a top 10 company in India. I remember going to India in the mid to late '90s and people got paid daily wages in coins in their hands. It's interesting to me that under PM Modi's leadership, he has lifted 250 million people out of poverty. There is now 440 million people in the middle class, about to be 750 million by the end of the decade. It is an incredible transformation.

Prime Minister Modi, concluding a three-nation tour focused on the Indo-Pacific, expressed his confidence that closer ties would unlock new opportunities for businesses, innovation, and youth, while simultaneously strengthening economic cooperation. He stated that the relationship between India and New Zealand was entering a new era, describing the current moment as more than just a diplomatic milestone but a "resolution of a better tomorrow."

Luxon also reminisced about his first meeting with Modi in Laos, where the Indian Prime Minister had detailed the scale of infrastructure development in India. This included the construction of 147 new airports, the projected need for 2,000 additional aircraft to meet burgeoning domestic air travel demand, and the rapid expansion of educational institutions. The visit follows the recent signing of a Free Trade Agreement between India and New Zealand, underscoring a deepening economic and strategic alignment.

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I have brought the aspirations of 140 crore people along with me. This interaction is occurring at a crucial time, when the relation between India and New Zealand is at a turning point. It is not just diplomatic milestone, rather a resolution of a better tomorrow.