New Delhi, 11 July (H.S.): Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on an official visit to New Zealand, held delegation-level talks with his counterpart, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, in Auckland on Saturday. During the meeting, the two countries decided to elevate their bilateral relationship to the level of a Strategic Partnership.
Following the talks, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on social media platform X that Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Luxon held productive and meaningful discussions. The two leaders deliberated on expanding cooperation in trade and commerce, defence and security, education, sports, culture, and several other key sectors.
He said the meeting resulted in a decision to upgrade bilateral ties to a Strategic Partnership. The two leaders also exchanged views on the India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and regional as well as global developments. Following the talks, Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and cooperation arrangements were exchanged in several sectors, including defence, disaster management, tourism, sports, and animal husbandry.
In his opening remarks during the delegation-level talks, Prime Minister Modi said that India and New Zealand were now entering into a Strategic Partnership. He described it as a significant milestone that would inspire both nations to move forward with greater confidence and renewed momentum while accelerating cooperation across diverse sectors.
Referring to the India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the Prime Minister said that the pace at which work had progressed towards its implementation within such a short period after its launch was extraordinary and perhaps unprecedented anywhere in the world.
He said the two countries' firm commitment to democratic values makes them natural partners. Guided by this shared vision, India and New Zealand remain committed to jointly addressing global challenges and strengthening the rules-based international order.
Prime Minister Modi said that, as two maritime nations, closer cooperation between India and New Zealand would provide fresh momentum to the Indo-Pacific region and play a significant role in advancing the shared objectives of regional peace, stability, and security.
Prime Minister Modi also expressed his special gratitude to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon for the warm welcome and for personally receiving him at the airport. He said the affection shown by the people of New Zealand towards India was deeply touching and reflected the enduring friendship between the two countries.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
