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'A special welcome': Auckland's Sky Tower lit up in tricolour to mark PM Modi's New Zealand visit

PM Modi met the Indian community in New Zealand upon arrival and was welcomed with cultural performances from various parts of India.

Updated on: Jul 10, 2026, 18:54:47 IST
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The iconic Sky Tower in New Zealand's Auckland was lit up in colours of the Indian tricolour as a special gesture for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official visit to the country.

Auckland’s iconic sky tower lights up in the Indian tricolour as a special gesture for PM Modi’s visit
Auckland’s iconic sky tower lights up in the Indian tricolour as a special gesture for PM Modi’s visit

Auckland's Sky Tower is 328 meters tall and has been a major highlight of the city's skyline for over 28 years. The tower offering stunning 360° views across Tāmaki Makaurau and is one of the most sought-after experiences in the city.

The skyscraper was lit in tricolour in honour of Modi's historic visit, which is the first by an Indian Prime Minister in around four decades.

Also read: BJP's Bankipur bypoll candidate Abhishek Kumar Sinha withdraws nomination, cites ‘family reasons’

Sharing a photo of the Sky Tower, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaishwal wrote on X, “A special welcome in Auckland! The iconic Sky Tower was illuminated to mark the visit of PM @narendramodi to New Zealand, symbolising the friendship between our two countries.”

PM Modi in New Zealand

“This visit is historic, being the first Prime Ministerial visit to New Zealand in four decades. I look forward to holding talks with Prime Minister Luxon and discussing the complete range of the India-NZ friendship. I will also be addressing a community programme tomorrow in Auckland,” he wrote in a post on X while sharing pictures of his arrival.

Also read: ‘Tariff-free from day one’: New Zealand PM’s big announcement ahead of PM Modi visit

Modi also met the Indian community in New Zealand and was welcomed with cultural performances from various parts of India.

“I compliment our diaspora for keeping India’s cultural heritage vibrant across generations and continents and for strengthening the enduring people-to-people bonds between India and New Zealand,” Modi wrote.

During his visit in Auckland, Modi will hold bilateral talks with his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon and review the entire gamut of bilateral relations between the two nations.

Apart from political dignitaries, Modi will also meet prominent business and sports personalities during his visit. “Reflecting the strong people-to-people ties between the two countries, he will address a large gathering of the Indian diaspora during the visit,” the MEA said.

Modi's visit comes months after India and New Zealand signed a free trade agreement (FTA) in April. Before this, both the world leaders held bilateral talks when Luxon came to India on an official visit in March 2025.

 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Nikita Sharma

Nikita Sharma is a Senior Content Producer with Hindustan Times. She is a Delhi-based digital journalist with five years of experience writing and editing news stories across beats including crime, politics, tech, trends and much more, both national and international. At Hindustan Times, she is part of the news team and focuses on breaking news, keeping a track of what is happening where, and chasing ever-developing news stories. She has a penchant for covering crime, geopolitics, and Indian politics with a keen eye for stories often overlooked in the daily news cycle. At Hindustan Times, she has extensively covered several key events including the US Presidential elections, Air India plane crash, Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor, US’ tariff war, and others. As a Delhi aficionado, she particularly enjoys roaming and writing about the national capital — its heritage, food, art and culture, and the many problems that come with it — the pollution, waterlogging, traffic, and more. Nikita did her Bachelor in Journalism and Mass Communication from GGSIPU and started working as a digital journalist in 2021. During her first stint, she covered hyperlocal news at a Delhi-based newsroom, writing and editing stories on builder-buyer conflicts, civic issues such as potholes, waterlogging, lack of facilities at hospitals in Delhi, crippling of the city during peak monsoon season. She also wrote features covering Delhi’s art exhibitions, heritage walks, artist profiles, museums, classical Hindustani music concerts and dance shows. She entered mainstream news in 2023 and has previously worked at NDTV.

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