Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday called for deeper collaboration in rugby, sports technology and coaching between India and New Zealand, as he addressed the Indian community in Auckland on the final day of his six-day tour of Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand. He highlighted the completion of 100 years of sporting relations between the two nations.
100 Years of Sporting Relations Celebrated
Speaking at the community event, PM Modi noted that 2026 marks a century of sporting ties between India and New Zealand. "A hundred years ago, our hockey team came to New Zealand to play, and Major Dhyan Chand's magnificent performance during that tour was the talk of the town. His hockey skills won the hearts of the people of New Zealand as well," he said. Earlier in the day, PM Modi and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon posed with commemorative jerseys featuring the number '100' on the back, in half blue and half black colours reflecting the cricket team jerseys of both countries.
Rugby Collaboration and Sports Technology
PM Modi underscored India's ambitions to strengthen rugby through closer engagement with New Zealand. "India wants to learn from New Zealand in rugby. For this, we need coaches and experts. New Zealand can help us significantly in this regard," he said, adding that a recent coaching programme involving New Zealand Rugby and Rugby India in Bhubaneswar was a great start. He also expressed confidence in achieving a great deal together in sports technology. "The futures of India and New Zealand are intertwined," he stated.
Joint Action Plan on Sport
Earlier at a Gala Lunch hosted by PM Luxon, Modi reiterated that the newly launched India-New Zealand Joint Action Plan on Sport would help expand cooperation beyond cricket. "To increase cooperation in other sports along with cricket, we have created a Sports Joint Action Plan. A good start has been made recently with a coaching program by New Zealand Rugby and Rugby India in Bhubaneswar," he said. The two-day high-performance coaching programme was held at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar in May, bringing together Indian coaches for classroom sessions, practical demonstrations and workshops led by New Zealand Rugby experts, under the Memorandum of Cooperation on Sport signed between the two governments.
Diplomatic and Sporting Milestones
According to the India-New Zealand Joint Statement, both Prime Ministers welcomed celebrations marking '100 Years of Unity Through Sport' in 2026 and endorsed the India-New Zealand Joint Action Plan on Sport as a framework to strengthen cooperation in high-performance sport, coaching, sports science, participation, sports business and exchanges between national sporting organisations. PM Modi's visit to New Zealand is the first by an Indian Prime Minister in 40 years, marking the final leg of his three-nation tour that also included Indonesia and Australia. Thanking his Kiwi counterpart, Modi said, "Just as teamwork and trust are necessary in rugby, we too will move forward with mutual trust. We are on the same team, so we will tackle only the challenges."
