PTI
Auckland
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 $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 Friday 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 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.
The two prime ministers called for freedom of navigation and overflight, and other lawful uses of the seas, in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the joint statement noted.
In his remarks at the meeting, Modi said deeper cooperation between India and New Zealand, both maritime nations, will inject new strength into the Indo-Pacific.
“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,” he said in Hindi.
