Rehearsals held to test 'intense security' for Narendra Modi visit

A large security operation is underway for the Indian Prime Minister's visit and the public should expect disruptions in Auckland on Saturday, police say.

Narendra Modi will arrive in New Zealand by private jet on Friday evening for what Prime Minister Christopher Luxon labelled an "historic" visit.

It comes as the government progresses legislation for the India Free Trade Agreement, which doesn't have the support of coalition partner New Zealand First.

In the leadup to the visit there were motorcade rehearsals and significant security checks in preparation for the prominent visitor.

Operation Commander Inspector Grae Anderson said the police operation was well-advanced ahead of the visit, and additional support from specialist groups was being deployed, including public order teams from across the country.

"These specialist resources will be able to assist with supporter crowds or any other disruptions that may occur.

"Given a visit of this stature, the public should expect there will be some disruptions in parts of the city through different points of the day."

Luxon said New Zealanders would notice a bigger police presence, saying on Thursday the security operation was "very significant," because there was a "very significant world leader in town".

"A major significant global player, and as you would expect there'll be intense security."

When the visit was announced, Luxon called it "historic", given it was the first visit by an Indian prime minister to New Zealand in 40 years.

He said it reflected the growing momentum in the New Zealand-India relationship and discussions between the leaders would include trade and investment, maritime security, education, technology, tourism, sport, and global issues.

Modi is visiting New Zealand after visits to Indonesia and Australia. Since he became Prime Minister in 2014, he's visited around 80 countries, more than doubling the number of trips of his predecessor.

On his trip to New Zealand, the Indian government said Modi would hold bilateral discussions with Luxon and "review the entire gamut of the bilateral relationship, which had seen significant progress in the last two years".

Modi also plans to meet prominent business and sports personalities. As well, he will address a large gathering of the Indian diaspora at a sold-out event at Spark Arena, Kia ora Modi. It reportedly requires attendees to carry a copy of their passport and has not been organised by the government.

The Aotearoa Alliance of Progressive Indians wrote an open letter taking issue with Modi's visit, and its treatment.

The letter spoke of human rights abuses, political prisoners and the treatment of Indian Muslims and Dalits in India, and raised the Hindutva ideology, which Modi's political party follows. It's described as a right-wing political and nationalist ideology.

Concerns about the ideology were raised with Luxon ahead of the visit, and the possibility of the Kia ora Modi event being an avenue of spreading the ideology, but the Prime Minister said he would be attending to celebrate an "outstanding achievement" for New Zealand to be hosting Modi.

Luxon said he wasn't concerned about the rise of Hindutva.

The visit was also off the back of the India Free Trade Agreement passing its first reading in Parliament.

The FTA would reduce or eliminate tariffs on 95 percent of New Zealand's exports to India once fully implemented.

But it's been surrounded by controversy, following New Zealand First's decision to withhold support for the agreement.

Winston Peters - also the Foreign Affairs Minister - has consistently criticised it, most recently claiming National was "covertly" been approving changes to immigration settings that would discriminate against Indians.

But the Trade Minister Todd McClay said immigration changes following the agreement would not breach the deal's non-discrimination clauses.

Peters is out of the country for the visit, but his office pointed RNZ to comments made by the Minister during a visit to India in 2025 - prior to the FTA being finalised.

"New Zealand and India have agreed that we can and should be doing more together.

"Both countries have worked hard over the last 18 months to bring energy, focus and deeper practical cooperation to the relationship," he said at the time.

When the FTA was announced in December, Peters called it a "bad deal," saying it was "neither free nor fair" and gave too much away especially on immigration without getting enough in return for New Zealanders.

Asked if it was convenient for Peters to be out of the country during this visit, Luxon said reporters were "overthinking it" and that it was a "leader level visit". He said it was "quite normal, it's quite okay" Peters was overseas.

A spokesperson for Peters' also confirmed the timing of his trip was independent of Modi's visit.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins is also expected to meet Modi on Saturday evening, before he departs the country.