India and New Zealand aim to double their ₹35,000 crore annual bilateral trade by 2030 through a new strategic partnership, 18 pacts, and an early FTA implementation.
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India and New Zealand elevated their relationship to a strategic partnership Saturday, targeting a doubling of bilateral trade in goods and services to ₹35,000 crore by 2030. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon reached the agreement after talks in Auckland, producing 18 outcomes including 10 formal agreements.
One of the pacts allows reciprocal logistics support between the Indian Navy and the New Zealand Defence Force. The two sides also established a maritime security dialogue to improve coordination and information exchange in the Indo-Pacific. Modi described both countries as maritime nations and said deeper cooperation would "lend new strength to the Indo-Pacific."
A joint statement said Modi and Luxon reaffirmed their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific and emphasized the importance of sovereignty and territorial integrity. They called for freedom of navigation in accordance with the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The two prime ministers also agreed to work for an early entry into force of the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement, which was signed recently. The 2030 trade goal of NZ$7 billion is roughly double the current level.
On the West Asia conflict, Modi and Luxon expressed concern over renewed escalation and called for restraint, protection of civilians, and restoration of freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. They also pushed for reform of the UN Security Council, describing it as "bold and effective."
The leaders condemned terrorism in all forms, including cross-border terrorism, and specifically cited the Pahalgam attack and the Red Fort incident last year. They called for a zero-tolerance approach and for disrupting terror financing networks.
Modi landed in Auckland Saturday on the final leg of a three-nation tour focused on expanding Indo-Pacific cooperation against the backdrop of China's growing assertiveness in the region.
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