Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a three-nation visit to Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand commencing Monday, July 6.The visit shall span six days with the PM expected to return to New Delhi in the morning on July 12.On Friday, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said Modi would make his first official visit to ⁠New Zealand next week. “Prime Minister ‌Modi’s ⁠visit is historic, with this being the first to New Zealand by an Indian ⁠Prime Minister in 40 years,” Luxon said in a statement.India and New Zealand signed a free trade agreement in April that will eliminate 95 per cent of tariffs on goods from New Zealand.New Zealand seeks access to India’s vast market, while India is interested in agricultural technology, food processing and dairy expertise. India is the biggest milk producer globally while New Zealand is one of the top-most export-driven dairy product manufacturer.In India, analysts see this as a visit to reinforce India’s strategic outreach across the Indo-Pacific, as New Delhi seeks to deepen ties amid concerns over supply chain and access to critical minerals.The three countries, spanning across Southeast Asia and Oceania, occupy an important place in India’s Act East Policy and are increasingly viewed as vital partners in advancing a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific order.Indonesia is the largest economy in South East Asia and an influential member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) bloc.Its strategic location astride the Malacca Strait makes it particularly important for India’s maritime interests. Both countries have increasingly coordinated their positions on Indo-Pacific affairs.Indonesia is India’s largest trading partner in ASEAN. Bilateral trade is driven by coal imports, palm oil trade, petroleum products and pharmaceutical.The visit could also accelerate cooperation in critical minerals, as Indonesia possesses vast reserves of nickel and other minerals needed for electric vehicle (EV) batteries.Meanwhile, India and Australia are partners in the Quad, which also includes the US and Japan. The tow cricket-loving nations are also in the groupings like G20, East Asia Summit, Commonwealth and the Indian Ocean Rim Association.Australia possesses abundant reserves of lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements. These resources are crucial for India’s growing market of electric mobility, semiconductor manufacturing, and renewable energy.