New Zealand-India Business, Sport and Innovation Summit 2026, Auckland

The New Zealand-India Business, Sport and Innovation Summit takes place on 12 and 13 November 2026 in Auckland, with Day 1 a half-day from 2pm at the Auckland University of Technology (AUT) city campus and Day 2 at the New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC), according to the summit's official programme and venues pages. The organiser site confirms registrations opened on 1 October 2026, with early-bird pricing closing at 5pm on Wednesday 21 October 2026 and registrations closing on 10 November 2026.

Who runs it

The summit is presented as part of the "100 Years of Unity Through Sport" programme, which Tataki Auckland Unlimited states it is delivering alongside Sport New Zealand to mark a century of sporting connection between the two countries (aucklandnz.com). Event management, registration and contact are handled by The Conference Company (TCC), per the summit website footer. The India New Zealand Business Council (INZBC) is represented in the programme through its chair Bharat Chawla and chief executive Sunil Kaushal, both listed as speakers.

Who it's for and the programme

The organiser describes the audience as leaders from business, sport, innovation, education and government across New Zealand and India. The published themes cover business and market development, sport and leadership, innovation at scale, "learning from India," senior-leader NZ-India partnership conversations, and networking. The speaker list spans government and sector leaders including Her Excellency Ms Muanpuii Saiawi (High Commissioner of India to New Zealand), Dame Therese Walsh (Chair, Air New Zealand), Nikhil Ravishankar (CE, Air New Zealand), Rene de Monchy (CE, Tourism New Zealand), Raelene Castle (Group CE, Sport New Zealand), Carrie Hurihanganui (CE, Auckland Airport), Sir Ian Taylor, and former India Test captain Ajinkya Rahane (nzindiasummit.com/speakers).

Venue and delegate movement

The NZICC at 101 Hobson Street sits in Auckland's central city, within walking distance of the Wellesley Street East AUT campus used on Day 1, so between-day delegate movement is short and city-central. The CBD location places delegates among a dense cluster of central Auckland hotels and the SkyCity precinct, and is roughly a 30–40 minute drive from Auckland Airport along the southern/airport corridor depending on traffic; the City Rail Link and central bus network serve the Hobson Street area. This venue and transport detail is provided as neutral context.

Why it matters in NZ MICE

A government- and sector-backed bilateral summit anchored at the NZICC underscores the convention centre's role in hosting trade- and diplomacy-focused business events, and the India market focus reflects a growing strand of NZ inbound business-events and trade activity tied to the NZ-India relationship.