Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday celebrated the centenary of sporting relations between India and New Zealand, announcing a new Joint Action Plan on Sport to broaden athletic cooperation beyond cricket, with rugby and hockey as key anchors. Speaking at a Gala Lunch hosted by New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in Auckland, Modi highlighted the historic milestone set by hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand a century ago.
Centenary of Sporting Relations
"This year, we are celebrating the 100th anniversary of sports relations between the two countries. One hundred years ago, a hockey team led by Major Dhyan Chand created history by coming here, which continues to inspire our sports partnership today," Modi said. He noted that multiple sports events are being organized in both nations to mark the occasion.
Sports Joint Action Plan
The newly launched India-New Zealand Joint Action Plan on Sport aims to strategically diversify sports diplomacy. Modi emphasized that groundwork has begun to build grassroots capacities in global sports, specifically citing rugby. "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 added.
The plan establishes a formal architecture to strengthen bilateral athletic links across high-performance training, coaching, sports science, analytics, business models, and exchanges between national sports federations. Operational results are already visible: in May, Rugby India and New Zealand Rugby conducted an intensive coaching clinic at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, where elite New Zealand coaches trained 34 Indian coaches across foundation, development, and high-performance pathways.
Strategic Partnership and Mutual Trust
Drawing a parallel between teamwork in sports and bilateral statecraft, Modi thanked Luxon for the warm hospitality, stating that mutual trust drives their elevated Strategic Partnership. "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," he said.
The India-New Zealand Joint Statement welcomed the centenary celebrations and the Joint Action Plan, noting it provides a practical framework to strengthen ties through high-performance sport, coaching, sport science, participation, sport business, and exchanges between national sporting organisations.
Historic Visit and Broader Ties
Modi's visit is the first by an Indian Prime Minister to New Zealand in 40 years, coinciding with a major upgrade in bilateral relations following the Free Trade Agreement concluded earlier this year. The partnership spans trade, maritime security, education, and people-to-people connections.
