Celebrating a Century of Sports Relations: PM Modi's Visit to New Zealand

A Historic Celebration of Sports Ties

On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi marked a significant milestone in the sporting relationship between India and New Zealand, celebrating 100 years of collaboration. Speaking to the Indian community in Auckland, he emphasized the need for enhanced cooperation in areas such as rugby, sports technology, and coaching during the final day of his six-day tour across Indonesia, Australia, and New Zealand.

Prior to the community gathering, PM Modi and New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon donned commemorative jerseys, each featuring the number '100' in a striking design that combined the blue and black colors of both nations' cricket teams. The jerseys, emblazoned with 'Modi' and 'Luxon', symbolized the century-long sporting bond shared by the two countries.

During his address, PM Modi reflected on the historic ties, recalling how a century ago, India's hockey team visited New Zealand, with Major Dhyan Chand's exceptional performance leaving a lasting impression. He stated, "This year marks the completion of 100 years of sporting relations between India and New Zealand. Major Dhyan Chand's hockey skills won the hearts of the people of New Zealand as well. This is the era of collaboration, and together we can achieve great things in sports."

The Prime Minister also expressed India's aspirations to enhance rugby and sports technology through closer ties with New Zealand. He noted, "India seeks to learn from New Zealand in rugby, and we require coaches and experts to facilitate this. The recent coaching program involving New Zealand Rugby and Rugby India in Bhubaneswar is a promising beginning. I am optimistic about our potential achievements in sports technology together."

Earlier that day, PM Modi attended a Gala Lunch hosted by Prime Minister Luxon, where he reiterated the significance of the newly launched India-New Zealand Joint Action Plan on Sport, aimed at broadening cooperation beyond cricket. He remarked, "To foster collaboration in various sports alongside cricket, we have established a Sports Joint Action Plan. The recent coaching initiative by New Zealand Rugby and Rugby India in Bhubaneswar marks a positive start."

Expressing gratitude to his Kiwi counterpart, PM Modi stated, "Prime Minister Luxon, I appreciate your friendship and commitment, which have made my visit to New Zealand memorable. Just as teamwork is vital in rugby, we will advance with mutual trust. We are on the same team, ready to face challenges together."

The sporting partnership has already gained traction through a two-day high-performance coaching program organized by Rugby India and New Zealand Rugby at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar earlier this year. This initiative, conducted under the Memorandum of Cooperation on Sport, brought Indian coaches together for classroom sessions and practical workshops led by New Zealand Rugby experts.

According to the India-New Zealand Joint Statement, both Prime Ministers welcomed the upcoming celebrations of '100 Years of Unity Through Sport' in 2026 and endorsed the Joint Action Plan as a framework to enhance cooperation in high-performance sports, coaching, sports science, and exchanges between national sporting organizations.

PM Modi's visit to New Zealand, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in four decades, concluded his three-nation tour, which also included stops in Indonesia and Australia.