Holding up a woollen muffler gifted to him by an Indian-origin New Zealander nearly 25 years ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday struck an emotional chord with thousands gathered at Auckland’s Spark Arena, telling them that while they had built new lives in New Zealand, their hearts remained deeply connected to India.“I have kept this muffler safely, just as I have kept your love safely in my heart,” Modi said, drawing loud applause from the packed arena.Opening his address with “Namaste” and “Kia Ora”, Modi thanked the Indian community for the rousing reception and said he had brought with him the affection and good wishes of 1.4 billion Indians.“Your body may be here, but your heart remains connected with India,” he told the gathering, acknowledging the diaspora’s continued emotional and cultural bond with its country of origin.Modi recalled visiting New Zealand around 25 years ago, long before he became Prime Minister or political figure, and said a member of the Indian community had gifted him the muffler during that winter trip.The event, attended by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, political leaders and over 10,000 of Indian-origin residents, was marked by repeated chants of “Modi, Modi” and “Bharat Mata Ki Jai”.Modi described the India-New Zealand relationship as one built on trust, shared democratic values and mutual respect, saying the partnership was entering a new phase with ‘a sky full of opportunities’.He credited the Indian diaspora with acting as a living bridge between the two countries and strengthening ties in fields ranging from business and education to science, politics, public service and sport. “Every Indian living in New Zealand has become part of this shared journey,” he said, praising the community for contributing to New Zealand’s growth while retaining strong links with India.Modi also acknowledged the presence of members of New Zealand’s Opposition Labour Party and said bipartisan political support demonstrated that the relationship with India extended beyond governments and party politics.Praising the achievements of Indian-origin New Zealanders, Modi referred to Air New Zealand chief executive Nikhil Ravishankar, former Governor-General Sir Anand Satyanand and Black Caps cricketers Rachin Ravindra and Ish Sodhi. He said their success showed how deeply the Indian community had become woven into New Zealand’s social, economic and cultural fabric.In a lighter moment, Modi joked that the Indian connection could also be seen on New Zealand’s map, referring to places and roads carrying names such as Bombay Hills, Khandallah, Kolkata Street and Amritsar Street.“It seems Indians are not only present in New Zealand’s economy and society, but also on its roads and signboards,” he said, prompting laughter and applause from the audience.Modi said India had much to learn from New Zealand, particularly in agriculture, food safety, sustainability, women’s empowerment and high-quality food production.Praising New Zealand as the first country in the world to grant women the right to vote, he said its leadership in climate-smart farming, precision agriculture and sustainable food production offered valuable lessons for India.He described New Zealand’s mānuka honey as “liquid gold” and said closer cooperation could help strengthen India’s beekeeping and honey-production programmes.Modi said that when New Zealand’s expertise combined with India’s scale, both countries could unlock significant opportunities in agriculture, food technology and research.Sport also featured in his speech, with Modi recalling the historic 1926 Indian Army hockey tour of New Zealand led by Major Dhyan Chand. He said the two countries were preparing to mark 100 years since the tour, describing it as a symbol of their sporting connection.Congratulating the All Blacks on their rugby success, Modi said India hoped to benefit from New Zealand’s coaching expertise and deepen cooperation in rugby development, sports science and technology.He also pointed to growing collaboration in the space sector, noting that New Zealand companies had contributed to India’s Chandrayaan lunar missions.Modi said India’s expanding space ecosystem and New Zealand’s innovation capabilities could open new avenues for cooperation in satellite technology, scientific research and the commercial space industry.Drawing parallels between Māori and Indian traditions, Modi said values such as ‘manaakitanga’, ‘whānau’, and ‘kaitiakitanga’ closely reflected Indian principles of hospitality, family and environmental responsibility.He compared ‘manaakitanga’ with the Indian philosophy of ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’, the guest is like God, and linked ‘kaitiakitanga’, or guardianship of the environment, with India’s cultural respect for nature.“The values of India and Māori culture may be expressed in different languages, but their spirit is very similar,” he said, adding that Indians living overseas often carried two emotional identities, one connected to the country where they lived and another rooted in India.“Your body may be here, but your heart remains connected with India,” he said, further adding that Indians around the world contributed positively to both their homeland and their adopted countries.Turning to India’s economic rise, Modi described the country as the world’s fastest-growing major economy and said it was rapidly emerging as a global centre for innovation, manufacturing and digital technology.He highlighted India’s position as the world’s largest vaccine producer and milk producer, one of the biggest mobile-phone manufacturers and home to one of the world’s largest startup ecosystems.“Today’s India is confident, innovative and ambitious,” Modi said. “It does not only dream big; it also has the ability to turn those dreams into reality.”He cited the Unified Payments Interface, digital public infrastructure, drone technology, renewable energy and advances in the space sector as examples of India’s transformation.Modi said India’s digital revolution had reached beyond major cities and was now empowering farmers, street vendors, small businesses and ordinary citizens.In an emotionally charged section of his address, Modi paid tribute to Sikh history and the sacrifices of the Sahibzadas. He referred to his government’s efforts to bring sacred saroops of Sri Guru Granth Sahib from Afghanistan to India after the security situation in the country deteriorated.He also spoke about the observance of Veer Bal Diwas, efforts to improve access to Hemkunt Sahib and initiatives to preserve important Sikh religious artefacts, including the historic Jore Sahib at Takht Sri Patna Sahib.Modi said the sacrifices of the Sahibzadas were not only part of Sikh history but remained a source of inspiration for India and humanity.Inviting members of the diaspora to visit India more frequently, Modi urged them to ensure that younger generations remained connected with the country’s languages, traditions, faiths and cultural heritage.Concluding his address, Modi referred to the nearly four-decade gap since an Indian Prime Minister last visited New Zealand. “This time, it took 40 years,” he said, pausing as the crowd cheered. “The next visit will not take another 40 years. That is Modi’s guarantee”, he added.