NEW DELHI: India and New Zealand elevated their relationship to a Strategic Partnership, marking the most significant upgrade in bilateral ties in decades, with the two countries unveiling an ambitious defence, maritime and economic agenda aimed at deepening cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
Following wide-ranging talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon, the two sides announced 18 outcomes, including 10 agreements spanning defence, maritime security, trade, supply chains and regional cooperation. The two sides launched a Maritime Security Dialogue, a reciprocal logistics support arrangement between the Indian Navy and the New Zealand Defence Force, a maritime cooperation pact between their defence ministries, and a roadmap to expand bilateral engagement over the next four years.
The leaders also set an ambitious target of doubling bilateral trade in goods and services to NZ$7 billion (around ₹35,000 crore) by 2030, while committing to ensure the early implementation of the recently signed India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement.
“I am delighted that we are going to take our relationship forward through a Strategic Partnership. This milestone will motivate us to move ahead with greater energy, confidence and determination,” Modi the first Indian Prime Minister to visit New Zealand in four decades.
The agreements underscore New Zealand's growing strategic engagement with India as Wellington seeks to diversify partnerships in the Indo-Pacific, while reflecting New Delhi's efforts to strengthen cooperation with like-minded maritime democracies against the backdrop of China's expanding regional influence. The joint statement reaffirmed both countries' commitment to a free, open, inclusive and prosperous Indo-Pacific, stressing respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and the rules-based international order.
The two prime ministers also reiterated support for freedom of navigation and overflight, in accordance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and agreed to institutionalise a maritime security dialogue to enhance coordination, information-sharing and maritime domain awareness.
“As two maritime nations, our close cooperation lends new strength to the Indo-Pacific, and our ties can infuse fresh energy into achieving our shared goals of peace,” Modi said. The leaders also discussed the impact of conflicts beyond the region on global security and trade.
Expressing concern over the escalating situation in West Asia, they called for restraint, protection of civilians and restoration of freedom of navigation through the “Strait of Hormuz”, warning against disruptions to global commerce. The leaders “called for full restoration of freedom of navigation and the global flow of commerce through the Strait of Hormuz, while opposing any constraints on shipping,” the joint statement said.
The two sides also highlighted the importance of resilient and transparent supply chains, noting that disruptions across the Indo-Pacific disproportionately affect Pacific Island nations through rising transport, energy and food costs.
On Ukraine, the leaders expressed concern over the continuing war and reiterated support for dialogue and diplomacy as the path to a lasting peace. Later, addressing more than 10,000 members of the Indian diaspora at the Kia Ora Modi community event in Auckland, Modi said India was emerging as the world's fastest-growing major economy despite global headwinds. "Amidst global challenges, the speed at which India is developing is unprecedented. Today, India is the world's fastest-growing major economy," he said, adding that the India-New Zealand partnership was entering "a new voyage" that would create opportunities for businesses and people in both countries.