Asked to bat first, New Zealand were eventually bowled out for 190 runs.
Kiwi opener Tom Latham (79) carried his bat throughout the innings, thus becoming only the tenth batsmen in the history of the game to do so.
Southee walked into bat with his team reeling at 106 runs for the loss of 8 wickets.
Dropped at his personal score of two runs by Umesh Yadav, Southee hit three sixes and half a dozen fours in his 45-ball knock to notch his highest ODI score.
This is also his 100th ODI match.
Meanwhile, Latham, who remained unbeaten, weathered early storms and blocked a side as the other witnessed a bizarre collapse.
Apart from the wickets of Martin Guptill and Ross Taylor, who were deceived by some good balls, the others threw away their's, as six Kiwi batsmen failed to get a two-figure score.
Making his debut in ODI's, Hardik Pandya was the wrecker-in-chief for India as he steam-rolled the Kiwi top order with three wickets.
Amit Mishra, the most experienced spinner in the line-up sans Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, was carted for runs, but managed to pick three wickets.
Kedar Jadhav too chipped in with two wickets, and was on a hat-trick.
The remaining two were picked by Umesh Yadav.
New Zealand were struggling at 65 for the loss of seven wickets, but a 41-run partnership between Latham and Doug Bracewell (15) kept their side afloat.
It was followed by a 71-run partnership between Latham and Southee for the ensuing wicket.
(Writing by Sudipto Maity)
image: bcci.tv
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