EXCLUSIVE: "20,000 Bookings for PM Modi" | Indian Community Awaits Historic New Zealand Visit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit New Zealand, marking the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister in nearly 40 years. Why is this visit being called historic? How significant is it for the nearly 400,000-strong Indian diaspora living in New Zealand? And what could it mean for the future of India-New Zealand relations? In this exclusive conversation with India Today Global, Indian community leader Bhav Dhillon speaks to Editor Pranay Upadhyay about the excitement surrounding PM Modi's arrival, with thousands of members of the Indian community expected to attend the diaspora event at Auckland's Spark Arena. He explains how the Indian community in New Zealand has grown from around 20,000 people four decades ago to nearly 400,000 today, making it one of the country's most influential migrant communities. The discussion also explores the opportunities expected from the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA), cooperation in agriculture technology, dairy, education, tourism, space technology and sports diplomacy. From cricket and hockey to rugby, both countries are looking to deepen sporting ties as they celebrate 100 years of sporting relations. Bhav Dhillon also addresses concerns over anti-immigrant incidents, describing them as isolated cases while highlighting the strong relationship between New Zealanders and the Indian community. Watch this exclusive interview to understand why PM Modi's New Zealand visit could mark a new chapter in India-New Zealand strategic, economic and people-to-people ties. #PMModi #ModiNewZealand #NewZealand #IndiaNewZealand #IndianDiaspora #BhavDhillon #PranayUpadhyay #FTA #IndiaNZFTA #Auckland #SparkArena #Cricket #SportsDiplomacy #IndiaTodayGlobal #NarendraModi India Today Global is the international arm of India's most trusted media organization — delivering factual, up-to-date news, analysis, and insights from India and around the world. From politics and business to culture and global affairs, we cover it all. Built for the digital-first English news audience and the Indian diaspora worldwide, we are the channel that connects India to the world and the world to India. 🎙️ Statecraft - Executive Editor Geeta Mohan cuts the noise, decodes the truth, and dissects the forces shaping global power, from geopolitical shifts to military strategies and economic levers. 🌐 Namaste World - Your daily wrap of the biggest stories from around the globe. Concise, sharp, essential. 🔍 Point of View - We hold people accountable. The questions others won't ask, asked here. 🗺️ Zoom In - Wars, conflicts, and tensions simplified with maps and context that actually make sense. 🤝 Diplomatic Diaries - Ambassadors have a public face. We show you the other one. No stone unturned. No question unasked. 🔔 Subscribe - because the world doesn't wait, and neither should you. Follow us on Twitter: https://x.com/ITGGlobal Follow us on Instagram:   / indiatodayglobal   Follow us on Facebook:   / indiatodayglobal   Follow us on Website: https://www.indiatoday.in/global Watch our marquee shows: EXCLUSIVE: President Putin Says "We Will Take Donbas by Force" in His Most Shocking Interview    • EXCLUSIVE: President Putin Says "We Will T...   Trump Demanded Seven Countries Send Warships to Hormuz. Every Single One Refused | Statecraft Ep 307    • Trump Went to War With Iran, Begged for a ...   Afghanistan Claims Pakistan Bombed Kabul Hospital Killing 400, 250 injured | Namaste World EP 81    • Afghanistan Claims Pakistan Bombed Kabul H...   From B-52 to B-21 Raider: The Evolution of America’s War Machine | Zoom In With Sandeep Unnithan    • From B-52 to B-21 Raider: The Evolution of...   US Iran War: Military Bases in the Gulf, For Israel or the Arab World? | West Asia War | POV Ep 5    • US Iran War: Military Bases in the Gulf, F...   Inside Australian Envoy’s Delhi Residence | Diplomatic Diaries Exclusive    • Inside Australian Envoy’s Delhi Residence ...