Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said India and New Zealand are working towards linking India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) with New Zealand’s payment system, marking a significant step in expanding digital and financial cooperation between the two countries.
Addressing the Indian community in Auckland during his two-day visit, Modi said the proposed integration would strengthen bilateral collaboration in fintech while making cross-border digital transactions more seamless.
“We are moving ahead with connecting India’s UPI and New Zealand’s payment system,” the Prime Minister said, highlighting digital innovation as one of the key pillars of the growing India-New Zealand partnership.
Beyond digital payments, Modi said both countries have prioritised areas for future cooperation, including trade, agriculture, education, defence, clean energy, critical minerals, and space. He noted that India and New Zealand share a commitment to innovation and sustainable economic growth.
As part of efforts to deepen cultural ties, Modi also invited New Zealand’s leading educational institutions to establish campuses in India under the country’s new education, announcing further plans to collaborate in healthcare through a proposed mutual push to integrate traditional medicine systems.
Referring to the Indian diaspora as a bridge between the two nations, Modi said their contribution had played a vital role in strengthening people-to-people ties and expanding bilateral engagement.
The announcement comes as India continues to promote UPI internationally, with the digital payments platform already linked or being integrated with payment systems in several countries as part of its broader global digital public infrastructure strategy.
