The country's Indian community celebrated India's Independence Day at various locations nationwide on Saturday, including flag-hoisting ceremonies in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and Whangarei.

It was on 15 August 1947 that India achieved independence after two centuries of British rule.

Indians and the Indian diaspora worldwide come together each year to remember the independence struggle and celebrate the country's progress ever since.

In Auckland, hundreds gathered at the Mahatma Gandhi Centre to mark the occasion.

Madan Mohan Sethi, India's consul general in Auckland, led the celebrations and highlighted the strengthening New Zealand-India relationship, including the recently signed free trade agreement.

He also spoke about India's progress since independence.

Auckland Indian Association president Shanti Patel reminded the community of the legacy of the freedom fighters and the importance of preserving the values they fought for.

That legacy is also being reflected in a very different setting this week - on an Auckland fashion runway.

Called Khadi Beyond Borders, the showcase is part of a new partnership between New Zealand Fashion Week and the Fashion Design Council of India, giving the historic textile a contemporary setting while bringing Indian fashion and craftsmanship to a New Zealand audience.

The partnership was formalised through a memorandum of understanding signed during Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's trade mission to India last year.

Indian designer Rajesh Pratap Singh is poised to headline the showcase with a dedicated solo presentation, followed by a collaborative runway featuring Shruti Sancheti, Samant Chauhan and Pawan Sachdeva at Shed 10 on Tuesday evening.

Khadi has a long history in the Indian subcontinent, but its significance grew during the independence movement.

The fabric is made by spinning fibre into yarn, traditionally using a spinning wheel, before weaving the yarn into cloth on handlooms.

Mahatma Gandhi promoted khadi as part of the Swadeshi movement, encouraging Indians to use locally made goods and reject imported British textiles.

The handspun fabric became a powerful symbol of self-reliance and resistance to colonial rule.

Today, khadi is being reinterpreted by contemporary Indian designers and promoted as a fabric with both heritage and modern fashion appeal.

"Khadi on an Auckland runway - for me, that is the moment the Fashion Design Council of New Zealand (FDCNZ) was born," said Feroz Ali, owner of New Zealand Fashion Week.

"When Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and India's Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal witnessed the signing of our MOU with FDCI, we made a promise to both nations that this partnership would produce something the world would notice. Khadi Beyond Borders is that promise kept."

In Wellington, the festivities were led by the Indian High Commission.

More than 500 members of the community attended the event, where Indian High Commissioner Muanpuii Saiawi hoisted an Indian flag and read the message the Indian president delivered to the nation.

As part of celebrations, the High Commission also partnered with Ekta NZ to distribute 200 cooked meals to people in need in the capital, in the spirit of seva and giving back to the community.

In the South Island, Indian communities in Christchurch and Dunedin also came together to mark the occasion.

Hundreds gathered at the Richmond Club in Christchurch on Saturday.

"It was wonderful to see so many people come together to mark this important occasion," said Hitesh Sharma, one of the organisers.

"The event was not only a celebration of India's Independence Day, but also an opportunity to recognise the friendship between India and New Zealand and the strong community connections we continue to build here in Canterbury."

In Dunedin, the community gathered at the Taieri Bowling Club in Mosgiel.

The event included a flag-hoisting ceremony, cultural performances and games.

In Whangārei, the community marked the occasion at three separate events organised by the Northland Indian Association, Whangārei Malayalee Association and Traditional Tales Troupe along with the Hare Krishna Centre.

Indian communities in Samoa, Vanuatu and the Cook Islands also marked India's Independence Day with flag-hoisting ceremonies across the Pacific.

New Zealand's Pakistani community also celebrated Pakistan's Independence Day in major centres nationwide over the weekend, including Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

Pakistan became independent on 14 August 1947, a day before India, following the end of British colonial rule in the Indian subcontinent and the partition of British India into two separate countries.

Pakistanis and the Pakistani diaspora worldwide come together each year on 14 August to mark the country's independence.

In Auckland, about 3000 members of the Pakistani community gathered at the Malaeola Community Centre in Māngere for the celebrations.

"It was a truly multicultural and multi-ethnic celebration, with people from diverse communities coming together to enjoy food, music and children's performances marking Independence Day," said Asif Khan, president of the Pakistan Association of New Zealand.