India and New Zealand have agreed to work towards doubling bilateral trade in goods and services to NZ$7 billion (approximately ₹35,000 crore) by 2030.
The agreement comes during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official visit to New Zealand, marking the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Auckland in four decades. During the visit, Modi and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held discussions on strengthening bilateral ties, expanding trade cooperation, and creating new opportunities for businesses in both countries.
In a joint statement issued on Saturday, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that PM Modi and Luxon agreed to “an ambitious long-term vision for the Strategic Partnership, which aims to take bilateral relations to a new level, strengthen existing cooperation mechanisms, and explore new avenues for deepening cooperation, both bilaterally and multilaterally.”
The two sides also approved the India-New Zealand Strategic Partnership: Roadmap to 2030, which will provide a framework for expanding cooperation between the two nations over the next four years.
Modi and Luxon further agreed to enhance law enforcement and work toward finalizing agreements on counter-narcotics and related security matters.
The two nations will also establish an annual Maritime Security Dialogue and expand cooperation under the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative. Reaffirming their commitment to a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific, both sides agreed to strengthen maritime collaboration through new cooperation arrangements covering maritime security, hydrography, nautical cartography, and logistics support.
Both sides welcomed the conclusion of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and highlighted New Zealand’s role in supporting India’s ‘Viksit Bharat vision’ of becoming a developed nation by 2047. The cooperation is expected to expand across areas including trade, agriculture, skills development, innovation, clean energy, sports, and other sectors.
The two nations also signed a tourism cooperation arrangement aimed at promoting connectivity, including encouraging the launch of direct non-stop flights between India and New Zealand.
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