India and New Zealand elevate ties to strategic partnership

India and New Zealand on Saturday elevated their ties to a strategic partnership and set a five-year target to double their annual bilateral trade in goods and services to approximately Rs 35,000 crore by 2030 following talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon.

The meeting yielded 18 concrete outcomes, including 10 agreements. Key among them were a roadmap to expand ties over the next four years, a framework for enhancing Indo-Pacific maritime cooperation, and a reciprocal logistics support



pact between the Indian Navy and the New Zealand Defence Force.

“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.

A joint statement noted that Modi and Luxon exchanged views on the Indo-Pacific, reaffirming their shared commitment to a free, open and prosperous region. They also emphasised the importance of safeguarding sovereignty, territorial integrity and the rules-based international order.