Modi visits New Zealand as trade deal faces backlash

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi lands in New Zealand on Friday for a short visit centred on trade, tourism and sport, as a free trade deal with India faces pushback over migration and visas.

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon celebrated the signing of the agreement in April, saying it would bring exports, jobs and investment. The pact is widely expected to be approved by New Zealand's parliament.

Some opposition to the deal has come from New Zealand First, a populist party in Luxon's governing coalition. Government minister Shane Jones criticised parts of the agreement covering migration and visas, using language that an Indian community leader called outright racism.

Evangelical preacher Brian Tamaki also accused Modi of vilifying Christians in India and made remarks about removing Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims from New Zealand and targeting places of worship. New Zealand's race relations commissioner condemned those comments as utterly appalling.

Massey University anthropologist Sita Venkateswar said Indian-New Zealanders were being singled out and denigrated, and said South Asians were already frequent targets of racially motivated incidents in her data.

Modi's stay in New Zealand is expected to last little more than a day. He is due to attend an official ceremony at Government House and a business and sport event in Auckland. The visit is described as the first by an Indian leader to New Zealand in 40 years.

The main public event is expected to be an Auckland gathering for the Indian diaspora at Spark Arena, with as many as 10,000 people expected. New Zealand is home to an Indian diaspora of about 300,000 people.

Luxon said the visit was about celebrating a partnership between New Zealand and India that supports prosperity and security for both countries.