Beyond trade: India’s UPI to integrate with New Zealand’s payment infrastructure

Auckland: Highlighting the practical implementation of their newly established Strategic Partnership, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Saturday that India and New Zealand are broadening bilateral relations across several sectors, including a major digital integration linking India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) with New Zealand’s fast-payment infrastructure.

Addressing a Gala Lunch hosted in his honour by New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in Auckland, Modi stated that the two countries are successfully translating their distinct institutional capabilities into tangible bilateral advancements in digital technology, agriculture, education, and traditional medicine.

"Friends, to make our Strategic Partnership meaningful, we are turning the strengths of both countries into practical cooperation. In the field of Fintech, we are moving ahead with connecting India's UPI and New Zealand's payment system. In agriculture, dairy, and food processing, we have developed a strong framework for cooperation, which will benefit our farmers and cattle rearers," the Prime Minister said.

Focusing heavily on expanding cultural and educational connections, Modi invited New Zealand’s leading academic institutions to increase their presence in India under recently relaxed regulatory frameworks.

"The Cultural Cooperation MOU signed today will boost exchanges in the arts, culture, heritage, and creative industries of both countries. New Zealand has been an important destination for Indian students. We invite New Zealand universities to open campuses in India," Modi added, whilst also announcing a joint initiative to integrate traditional medicine systems into broader healthcare cooperation.

Praising the local diaspora, the Prime Minister described the Kiwi-Indian community as the foundation of this diplomatic success.

"Friends, the strongest strength of our relations is our people-to-people ties. People of the Indian community, through their hard work and talent, have carved out a special place for themselves in New Zealand. I thank Prime Minister Luxon, the New Zealand government, and the people of New Zealand for their care," he noted.

The personal remarks delivered by the leaders were reflected in the India-New Zealand Joint Statement, which formally acknowledged the Indian community as an "integral and valued part of New Zealand's diverse society" and a "living bridge" driving the economy, culture, and public life of both countries.

Beyond corporate and digital commerce, the two heads of government heralded an ambitious sports initiative, welcoming the "100 Years of Unity Through Sport in 2026" and a comprehensive "India-New Zealand Joint Action Plan on Sport." This strategy establishes a practical framework for exchanging expertise in high-performance athletics, coaching, and sports science.

Furthermore, cultural and historical ties received an institutional boost through a new arrangement linking India’s National Maritime Heritage Complex in Lothal with the New Zealand Maritime Museum.

The wide-ranging cross-sector announcements form the core of the newly adopted "Roadmap to 2030," signed during the landmark two-day visit, which represents the first by an Indian Prime Minister to New Zealand in 40 years.

ANI