Auckland: Modi's Landmark Diaspora Address, India-NZ Film Festival and Diwali Celebrations
Prime Minister Narendra Modi drew more than 10,000 members of the Indian diaspora to Auckland's Spark Arena for the landmark Kia Ora Modi event, marking a historic step in India-New Zealand ties. Bollywood-backed film festivals and BAPS Diwali celebrations added to a rich week of South Asian cultural life in the city.
🎉 BAPS Hosts Kids' Diwali Celebration in Auckland
BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir Auckland organised its annual Kids' Diwali Celebration on Saturday, 8 November 2025, at its centre at 21 Barrhead Place, Auckland. The event brought together families from the local Indian and South Asian community for a festive, child-centred programme designed to introduce younger generations to the spirit and significance of Diwali, the Festival of Lights. Children participated in cultural activities, arts and crafts, games, and storytelling that highlighted the traditions and values associated with the occasion. The Auckland celebration was part of a wider series of Kids' Diwali events organised by BAPS across the Asia-Pacific region in 2025, with parallel programmes held in other New Zealand centres including Wellington. The Mandir's commitment to family-friendly Diwali programming reflects BAPS's longstanding approach of using festive occasions as opportunities for community connection, spiritual education, and engagement with the next generation. Separately, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon attended a Diwali and Hindu New Year event at the Wellington BAPS Mandir, underscoring the political recognition of Diwali as a significant occasion within New Zealand's multicultural society. Together, these events demonstrated the vitality of the BAPS community's role in sustaining South Asian cultural traditions across Aotearoa New Zealand. [1]
🗳️ PM Modi Hails Indian Diaspora as Pillar of India-New Zealand Ties
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed more than 10,000 members of the Indian diaspora at the Kia Ora Modi community event held at Spark Arena, Auckland, on July 11, 2026. The event was organised by the NZ Bhartiya Diaspora Group and reached full capacity, with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon also in attendance. Modi praised the Kiwi Indian community for its determination, hard work, and perseverance, calling it a dynamic force making significant contributions across every sphere of New Zealand life. He noted that 2026 marks 100 years of sporting collaboration between India and New Zealand, framing the bilateral relationship as rooted not only in trade but in deep cultural and people-to-people bonds. Modi described the gathering as a celebration of India-New Zealand friendship and said India learns from all nations, regardless of size, when it comes to the spirit of public welfare. Modi later posted that the Indian community in New Zealand is one of the strongest pillars of the India-New Zealand friendship, and that addressing them in Auckland was a memorable experience. The event was regarded as a pivotal moment in the growing bilateral relationship, with India's diaspora in New Zealand now numbering more than 230,000 people and representing one of the country's fastest-growing communities. [2]
🤝 Diaspora Members Moved by Modi's Cultural Connections in Auckland Address
Members of the Indian diaspora across New Zealand described Prime Minister Modi's address at the Kia Ora Modi event in Auckland as a landmark and personally meaningful moment for their community. Attendees expressed being awestruck by Modi's speech, with many noting that he made an effort to connect Indian and Maori cultures in a way that resonated deeply with those living between two worlds. Modi highlighted the Haka as a symbol of courage, self-respect, reverence for ancestors, and collective strength, connecting these values to the Sanskrit principle of Atithi Devo Bhava — meaning the Guest is Divine. Community representatives said the moment reinforced their sense of dual belonging: proud to be New Zealanders while remaining deeply connected to India. One diaspora member noted that the crowd particularly responded to Modi's references to Maori culture, appreciating that he had taken time to understand the host nation's traditions. The gathering was met with energy and enthusiasm that far exceeded the organisers' initial expectations, with the venue at capacity well in advance of the event. Modi's outreach to the Sikh diaspora was also noted, with RNZ reporting that he specifically addressed Sikh community concerns during portions of his remarks, acknowledging the community's contributions to New Zealand's multicultural fabric. [3]
Bollywood Stars Back First India-New Zealand Film Festival
The inaugural Indian Film Festival of New Zealand, known as TIFFNZ, is set to run across Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch from October 23 to 25, 2026, with backing from Bollywood talent and support from India's premier screen industry institutions. The festival was founded by Petrina D'Rozario with the aim of celebrating Indian cinema while building stronger creative and cultural connections between the Indian and New Zealand screen industries. Approximately 30 films spanning features, short films, and documentaries are expected to be showcased, alongside industry workshops, masterclasses, and networking events designed to foster collaboration between practitioners from both countries. The festival's official launch event in June 2026 featured actors Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal, who attended alongside a special screening of Girls Will Be Girls, a film that received recognition at Sundance and the Independent Spirit Awards. The Asia Media Centre reported that the screen relationship between India and New Zealand spans three decades, with a particularly productive period in the 1990s and early 2000s when more than 100 Indian films were shot in the country. TIFFNZ represents a formal effort to revitalise that connection, going beyond mainstream Bollywood to embrace independent, regional, and documentary voices from across the subcontinent, and to position Auckland as a gateway for Indian cinema in the Pacific region. [5]
Sources: [1] BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha · [2] DD India · [3] News On AIR · [5] Asia Media Centre