Snipers, no stairs, and naps: Modi adds extra layer of security for NZ visit

Friday, 10 July 2026

Narendra Modi arrives in New Zealand on Friday evening for a 24-hour visit - the first by an Indian prime minister in 40 years.

Modi’s visit follows the signing of a free trade deal with New Zealand in April, and will emphasise strong cultural and business ties between the two countries.

Security arrangements are believed to be among the most stringent for a visiting dignitary, with a large contingent of Indian commandos, snipers and bomb-checking operations planned.

Auckland, prepare for a plethora of disruptions on Saturday as police, spies, bomb sweepers and rooftop snipers are deployed across the central city for the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. And if you’re not distracted by the extreme security, you’ll probably be stuck behind roadblocks for his 15-vehicle motorcade (or Modi-cade).

Snipers on rooftops, bomb-sniffing dogs, specialised anti-terror squads, and hundreds of police reinforcements from other parts of the country.

These are just some of the extreme security arrangements it’s understood are in place for the whirlwind visit to Auckland by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Modi arrives on his Air Force jet India One on Friday evening for a 24-hour visit, including bilateral talks with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.

His itinerary is mostly a secret, though it has already been reported he will attend an event with political supporters at Spark Arena on Saturday. He will attend another large-scale event to celebrate India-New Zealand links and meet with Government, Opposition, and business leaders.

It is understood his security arrangements are among the most stringent ever seen in New Zealand for visiting dignitaries, with assessments for his visit showing significantly higher risk than when Chinese Premier Li Qiang visited in 2024.

That risk assessment is partly because of growing divisions over Hindu nationalism among Indian New Zealanders, growing anti-Indian sentiment by non-Indian New Zealanders, and recent extreme comments by Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki which led to police revoking his gun license and confiscating his weapons.

It’s also understood Modi’s age (75) provides extra complexities, with requests for his schedule to allow for nap times and a preference for venues without stairs he’d need to use (which likely stems from when he fell on stairs during an event six years ago).

Specialist police groups, including public order teams, have been brought in from around New Zealand.

But it’s not just a domestic operation. Modi will bring his Special Protection Group (SPG) officers, who are likely to have permission to carry weapons while in the country.

Among the security measures planned are snipers on rooftops near Modi’s accommodation and the venues he’ll be attending. It’s also understood there are land- and sea-based explosive-checking operations.

Modi will have a large motorcade which will require roads to be blocked on several occasions. Operation Commander Inspector Grae Anderson said disruptions were likely in parts of the city throughout Saturday.

In visits to other countries, the Indian prime minister has travelled in a motorcade of up to 15 vehicles, and when traffic slows, SPG officers walk alongside his car.

According to foreign media reports, Indian intelligence services typically visit a country well ahead of a visit and assess every last detail of Modi’s visit for risks - the route of travel, hotel, every venue and vehicle.

Defence and intelligence analyst Paul Buchanan says foreign dignitaries typically have three tiers of security.

The first is the inner ring, which is made up of Modi’s SPG commandos. No one will be allowed inside this area without pre-vetted clearance.

“Anything inside of five metres will be his people. Once you get in that close the security personnel are armed - that has to be by agreement with local officials.”

The second layer covers the building, venue, or vehicle convoy, and is usually the responsibility of specialised police or security, such as New Zealand’s Dignitary Protection Service (DPS).

And a third layer covers the broader area where Modi is located, including transit routes and crowds outside a venue. This is managed by NZ Police, and is likely to include armed officers on rooftops.

“They will also use our intelligence-gathering, including Five Eyes feeds, to get real-time assessment of what threats may occur.”

Buchanan says there are additional layers of complexity for Modi’s visit for two reasons: rising Hindu nationalism in New Zealand and recent anti-Indian comments by Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki.

“Modi is a champion of Hindu nationalism. There could be crowd control issues as they come out in large numbers, so the intra-Indian quarrels might surface in a way that they haven’t before.”

Buchanan says police will likely be alert to a possible protest by Destiny Church given Tamaki’s inflammatory comments about Indian migrants in New Zealand.

After confiscating his weapons last week, police are assessing whether he is a “fit and proper person” to own them.

The seizure came after Tamaki wrote: “Let’s purge New Zealand of Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims” and “why don’t we burn mosques and temples down, tit for tat” on social media last month.

The comments were made in response to what he claims is the persecution of Christians in India. Tamaki also made inflammatory comments about Modi.

Modi’s visit is likely to be the largest security presence since the 1999 visit by US President Bill Clinton for APEC.

It was reported after that trip that the US Secret Service prevented Clinton from going on the Shotover Jet in Queenstown because they were unable to place snipers every 500 meters along the river.

Modi’s visit is the first by an Indian prime minister in 40 years, and comes after an India-New Zealand free trade deal was signed in April.

Discussions between Modi and New Zealand leaders would span trade and investment, maritime security, education, technology, tourism, sport, and various global issues.

The visit would also highlight the deep cultural ties between the two nations. Kiwi-Indians make up around 6% of the New Zealand population and contribute significantly across sectors like business, technology, health and science.

“This visit is about celebrating a winning partnership between New Zealand and India - one that delivers for our people and supports greater prosperity and security for both our countries,” Luxon says.

“I look forward to welcoming Prime Minister Modi to New Zealand.”