PM Modi To Deepen Indo-Pacific Ties During Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand Visit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a six-day visit to Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand from July 6, with the trip expected to focus on strengthening trade, investment, critical minerals cooperation and strategic partnerships across the Indo-Pacific.

The Prime Minister will return to New Delhi on July 12 after completing the three-nation tour, which comes as India steps up its engagement with key Indo-Pacific partners amid evolving geopolitical dynamics and efforts to diversify supply chains.

Indonesia And Australia To Anchor Strategic Talks

Indonesia, the largest economy in Southeast Asia and India's biggest trading partner within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), will be the first stop on the tour.

The visit is expected to deepen cooperation in trade, maritime security and critical minerals. Indonesia is a major supplier of coal and palm oil to India and possesses some of the world's largest reserves of nickel, a key raw material used in electric vehicle batteries.

Its strategic location along the Malacca Strait also makes it a crucial partner for India's maritime interests and Indo-Pacific strategy.

The Prime Minister will then travel to Australia, where discussions are expected to focus on defence cooperation, critical minerals, clean energy and investment.

India and Australia are Quad partners alongside the United States and Japan and also cooperate through forums such as the G20, East Asia Summit, Commonwealth and the Indian Ocean Rim Association. Australia is a significant source of lithium, cobalt and rare earth minerals, resources that are increasingly important for India's electric mobility, semiconductor and renewable energy ambitions.

Historic New Zealand Visit

The final leg of the tour will take Modi to New Zealand, marking the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the country in nearly four decades.

Announcing the visit, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon described it as historic.

"Prime Minister Modi's visit is historic, with this being the first to New Zealand by an Indian Prime Minister in 40 years," Luxon said in a statement on Friday.

The visit comes less than three months after India and New Zealand signed a free trade agreement that will eliminate tariffs on 95% of goods exported from New Zealand.

The agreement is expected to strengthen bilateral trade, with New Zealand seeking greater access to India's large consumer market while India looks to expand cooperation in agricultural technology, food processing and dairy. India is the world's largest milk producer, while New Zealand is among the world's leading dairy exporters.

Analysts believe the three-nation tour reflects India's continued strategic outreach across the Indo-Pacific as New Delhi strengthens partnerships with countries that play an important role in regional security, resilient supply chains and access to critical minerals.

The three countries occupy a central place in India's Act East Policy and are increasingly viewed as important partners in promoting a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific while expanding cooperation across trade, technology, energy and strategic sectors.