Modi to embark on six-day Indo-Pacific tour of Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand

New Delhi: The prime minister, Narendra Modi, will embark on a six-day visit to Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand from July 6, in a major diplomatic outreach aimed at reinforcing India’s strategic partnerships across the Indo-Pacific. The three-nation tour, will include annual summit meetings with the leaders of Australia and bilateral talks with Indonesia and New Zealand.

This is seen as a reflection of New Delhi’s growing focus on strengthening cooperation in defence, maritime security, trade, critical technologies and regional stability amid an increasingly contested geopolitical landscape.

The three-nation tour, confirmed by officials on Friday, will take Modi to Jakarta, Melbourne and Auckland, underscoring New Delhi’s growing emphasis on the Indo-Pacific under its Act East policy. The visit follows closely on the annual India-Japan summit in New Delhi, where Modi hosted the Japanese prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, highlighting India’s sustained diplomatic engagement with key regional partners.

The itinerary combines bilateral summits with high-level political engagements, business interactions and outreach to the Indian diaspora, while signalling India’s intent to deepen cooperation with like-minded countries on maritime security, resilient supply chains, defence, trade and emerging technologies.

Indonesia for defence, maritime cooperation

Modi’s tour will begin with a state visit to Indonesia from July 6 to 8, where he will hold talks with the country’s president, Prabowo Subianto. The visit marks Modi’s fourth trip to Indonesia and his first bilateral visit since the two countries elevated ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2018.

India and Indonesia, both major maritime democracies located at either end of the Indian Ocean, have steadily expanded cooperation in defence, maritime security, connectivity and regional affairs. Indonesia’s strategic position along the Malacca Strait – one of the world’s busiest maritime trade routes – makes it an important partner in India’s Indo-Pacific strategy.

The two leaders are expected to discuss defence collaboration, maritime domain awareness, digital connectivity and economic cooperation. Defence cooperation is also expected to feature prominently, with discussions likely to include Indonesia’s reported interest in acquiring the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile jointly developed by India and Russia. Any progress on such a deal would represent another milestone for India’s expanding defence exports in Southeast Asia.

Modi is also scheduled to visit the Unesco World Heritage-listed Prambanan temple complex in Yogyakarta, reflecting the centuries-old civilizational links between India and Indonesia, before interacting with members of the Indian diaspora.

Australia for deepening strategic ties

From Indonesia, Modi will travel to Melbourne for the third annual India-Australia Leaders’ Summit from July 8 to 10, where he will meet the prime minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese.

The meeting will be the sixth between the two leaders since 2022 and Modi’s third visit to Australia as prime minister after his visits in 2014 and 2023.

India and Australia elevated their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2020 and have since significantly expanded cooperation across defence, maritime security, trade, technology, education and clean energy.

The summit is expected to focus on strengthening defence and security cooperation, expanding trade and investment, securing critical mineral supply chains, advancing clean energy initiatives and enhancing collaboration in emerging technologies.

The two sides are also expected to review progress under the India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement, which entered into force in 2022, while continuing negotiations on the proposed agreement on comprehensive economic cooperation aimed at further liberalizing bilateral trade. Also, Modi is scheduled to co-chair the India-Australia CEOs Forum with Albanese, bringing together leading business executives from both countries to explore opportunities in manufacturing, technology, renewable energy and infrastructure.

During the visit, Modi will also call on the governor general of Australia, Sam Mostyn, and address members of the Indian community. Australia is home to one of the fastest-growing Indian diaspora communities, with Victoria accounting for one of the country’s largest Indian-origin populations. A community event titled “Melbourne Meets Modi” is scheduled to be held at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium on July 9.

Historic visit to New Zealand

The final leg of the tour will take Modi to Auckland from July 10 to 11 for talks with the prime minister of New Zealand, Christopher Luxon. The visit will be the first by an Indian prime minister to New Zealand since Rajiv Gandhi travelled there in 1986, ending a gap of nearly 40 years.

The two leaders are expected to review bilateral cooperation following the recent conclusion of the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement, while discussing ways to expand collaboration in agriculture, food processing, education, innovation, technology and people-to-people exchanges.

The visit also reflects New Zealand’s growing engagement in Indo-Pacific strategic affairs and India’s increasing interest in strengthening ties with partners across the South Pacific.

Indo-Pacific strategy on focus

Taken together, the three visits reinforce India’s efforts to strengthen partnerships across the eastern Indian Ocean and the wider Indo-Pacific at a time of heightened geopolitical competition.

Indonesia occupies a pivotal position at the entrance to the Malacca Strait, Australia has emerged as one of India’s closest strategic partners in the Indo-Pacific, while New Zealand is becoming an increasingly important partner in regional economic and security discussions.

India and Australia are members of the Quad, alongside the United States and Japan, although the grouping is not expected to feature prominently in the official agenda. Nevertheless, maritime security, a rules-based regional order, resilient supply chains and critical technologies remain common strategic priorities shared by the four countries.

The tour also follows a series of high-level diplomatic engagements with Japan and Pacific Island countries, reflecting New Delhi’s broader effort to strengthen its role as a leading Indo-Pacific power.

Beyond the symbolism of an intensive diplomatic itinerary, the success of the visit is likely to be measured by tangible outcomes. This includes progress on defence industrial cooperation with Indonesia, advancement of India’s trade agenda with Australia, and the expansion of strategic and economic ties with New Zealand.