Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, 11 July spotlighted India's sweeping economic rise at the 'Kia Ora Modi' community event in Auckland, New Zealand, declaring that the country now leads the world in milk production, ranks second in mobile manufacturing and telecom market size, and stands third globally in automobile market scale. The remarks came during the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to New Zealand in 40 years.

Key Rankings Modi Cited

Addressing a large gathering of the Indian diaspora, Modi underscored three headline statistics that he said reflect India's transformation despite global headwinds. India is the world's largest milk producer, the second-largest mobile phone manufacturer and telecom market, and the third-largest automobile market on the planet. He asserted that India's pace of development has remained unprecedented even as global uncertainties persist.

India-New Zealand Ties: Shared Values and Space Cooperation

Beyond economics, Modi framed the bilateral relationship in cultural and civilisational terms. He noted that both nations share a strong commitment to preserving their indigenous cultures and heritage. 'It is our indigenous cultures and our resolve to celebrate and preserve them that connect us,' he said. The Prime Minister also highlighted that New Zealand's space industry has collaborated with India on multiple occasions, pointing to an emerging frontier of technical partnership between the two countries.

A Message to the Diaspora

Modi told the audience he had arrived carrying 'the greetings of 1.4 billion Indians' and thanked community members for their warm reception. He acknowledged that the gap since the last such visit was too long. 'This time it took 40 years for an Indian Prime Minister to come to New Zealand. But you will not have to wait that long again. It won't take another 40 years. That's Modi's guarantee,' he said. The assurance drew a direct personal commitment from him that high-level engagement with the Indian community in New Zealand would be sustained.

Broader Context: India's Global Economic Footprint

The rankings Modi cited reflect a decade-long industrial and demographic dividend playing out in real terms. India overtook China as the world's most populous nation in 2023, and its domestic consumption base has made it an increasingly attractive market for global automakers and telecom players. The mobile manufacturing surge, driven in part by Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes, has positioned India as a credible alternative to Chinese supply chains — a shift that global electronics firms have been accelerating since 2020. Notably, this is the first time a sitting Indian Prime Minister has made these three rankings a centrepiece of a diaspora address abroad, signalling a deliberate pivot in how India projects its economic identity on the world stage.

What Comes Next

Modi's New Zealand visit is part of a broader Pacific outreach that observers say reflects India's intent to deepen ties with smaller but strategically significant democracies in the region. With bilateral cooperation already active in space, the two governments are expected to explore expanded frameworks in trade, education, and technology in the months ahead.