INDIA and New Zealand on Saturday elevated their ties to a strategic partnership, set a target of doubling their annual bilateral trade to Rs 35,000 crore by 2030 and decided to ramp up maritime security ties, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Kiwi counterpart Christopher Luxon vowed to work towards a peaceful Indo-Pacific. The talks between the two leaders yielded 18 concrete outcomes, including 10 agreements. Key among them were a four-year roadmap to expand overall relations alongside three crucial pacts aimed at boosting hydrographic data sharing, facilitating mutual naval logistics and framing enhanced maritime engagement in the Indo-Pacific.

 

Expanding bilateral trade through the early implementation of the free trade deal was also a key focus of the talks, underscored by Wellington’s commitment to invest USD 20 billion in India over the next 15 years. A joint statement noted that Modi and Luxon reaffirmed their shared commitment to a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific. They also emphasised the importance of safeguarding sovereignty, territorial integrity and the rules-based international order. The resolve by the two countries to work jointly for a peaceful Indo-Pacific comes amid growing global concerns over China’s increasing military muscle-flexing in the region, including apprehensions over its test of a submarine-launched, long-range ballistic missile earlier this week.

 

In line with the focus on boosting Indo-Pacific cooperation, the two sides also agreed to establish a maritime security dialogue, besides a joint working group on counter-terrorism. An India-New Zealand joint action plan on sport was also firmed up. It provides for collaboration in high-performance sports, sports science, sports medicine and athlete development. Modi landed in Auckland last night to a warm welcome in the final leg of his three-nation tour - after visiting Indonesia and Australia - that largely focused on ramping up cooperation in the Indo-Pacific against the backdrop of China’s increasing assertiveness in the region. The visit came following the recent signing of the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement. “We have decided to elevate our ties to a strategic partnership. We will move forward across every sector with clear goals and concrete outcomes,” Modi said after the talks.