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India and New Zealand have entered a new phase in bilateral relations following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in two decades, according to an article published by the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs (NZIIA).
During the two-day visit, PM Modi and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon elevated ties to a full Strategic Partnership. They also unveiled the four-year ‘Roadmap to 2030’ to expand cooperation across defence, trade, maritime security, agriculture, tourism, sports, culture and science.
The article said India has become increasingly important in New Zealand’s long-term strategy.
It is noted that India remains one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies and is projected to become the third-largest economy by 2030. Its GDP could reach nearly $7 trillion (NZ$12 trillion), while its middle-class population may exceed 700 million, creating one of the world’s largest consumer markets.
During the Auckland visit, PM Modi and Luxon set a target to double bilateral trade to NZ$7 billion (around $4.2 billion) by 2030.
The visit delivered 18 outcomes, including 10 agreements and Memorandums of Understanding.
The ‘Roadmap to 2030’ provides a four-year framework covering defence, trade, maritime security, tourism, agriculture, sports, scientific research, people-to-people exchanges and multilateral engagement.
Defence and maritime cooperation remained a key focus.
Both countries signed a Mutual Logistics Support Arrangement for naval logistics and maintenance during deployments. They also signed a Memorandum of Arrangement on Maritime Cooperation to strengthen dialogue, operational coordination and information-sharing across the Indo-Pacific.
Both countries agreed to launch a Maritime Security Dialogue. New Zealand will lead the maritime security pillar of India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative. They also established a Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism to strengthen intelligence-sharing and coordination.
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