India, New Zealand elevate ties to Strategic Partnership, unveil Roadmap to 2030

By Aroonim Bhuyan

New Delhi/Auckland, July 11. India and New Zealand have elevated their bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership, signalling a major reset in ties that have steadily gathered momentum over the past few years. The decision, announced after talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon in Auckland on July 11, was accompanied by the adoption of an ambitious ‘India-New Zealand Strategic Partnership: Roadmap to 2030’, which seeks to transform cooperation across defence, trade, maritime security, education, agriculture, technology and multilateral diplomacy.

The summit marked a watershed in bilateral relations, coming during Prime Minister Modi’s first visit to New Zealand and the first by an Indian Prime Minister in four decades. The visit underscored the growing strategic importance both countries attach to each other amid shifting geopolitical dynamics in the Indo-Pacific and increasing emphasis on building partnerships among democratic nations committed to a rules-based regional order.

According to a joint statement issued following the bilateral commit, the two leaders agreed that their countries, bound by democratic values, strong people-to-people ties and shared interests in the Indo-Pacific, were entering a new phase of engagement that extends well beyond traditional cooperation in trade and education.

From friendly relations to Strategic Partnership

India and New Zealand have enjoyed cordial diplomatic relations since 1952, but the relationship has historically remained underdeveloped compared with India’s ties with Australia and other Indo-Pacific partners.

Over the past decade, however, both countries have sought to diversify the relationship beyond the sizeable Indian diaspora in New Zealand and growing educational exchanges.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s visit to India in March 2025 injected fresh momentum into bilateral ties. During that visit, the two countries launched negotiations for a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and signed agreements covering defence, customs cooperation, education, horticulture, forestry and sports.

Building on those initiatives, the July 11 summit elevated the relationship to the strategic level, reflecting growing convergence on regional security, maritime cooperation and economic engagement.

The centrepiece of the summit was the adoption of the ‘Roadmap to 2030’, which will serve as the guiding framework for bilateral cooperation over the next four years. The roadmap envisages expanding cooperation through existing institutional mechanisms while creating new avenues for collaboration both bilaterally and in regional and global forums.

To ensure sustained political engagement, the two Prime Ministers agreed to institutionalise regular reciprocal visits by prime ministers and cabinet ministers and establish a structured Foreign Ministers’ Dialogue. Annual meetings between senior officials of India’s Ministry of External Affairs and New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade will also be strengthened to monitor implementation of the roadmap.

Recognising the role of legislative diplomacy, the two leaders also encouraged closer parliamentary exchanges, including through the recently constituted Parliamentary Friendship Group for New Zealand in the Indian Parliament.

Maritime security takes centre stage

If one area symbolised the strategic transformation of bilateral ties, it was maritime security.

Against the backdrop of increasing geopolitical competition across the Indo-Pacific, India and New Zealand unveiled an ambitious package of maritime cooperation initiatives that significantly deepen defence engagement.

The two countries signed three major agreements covering maritime cooperation, hydrography and reciprocal logistics support.

The Memorandum of Arrangement on Maritime Cooperation between India’s Ministry of Defence and the New Zealand Defence Force establishes a framework for regular dialogue, information sharing, coordinated activities and practical cooperation across the Indo-Pacific.

An Implementation Arrangement on Hydrography and Nautical Cartography provides for joint production of navigational charts, sharing of hydrographic data, training and capacity building, enhancing maritime domain awareness and navigational safety.

The third agreement – a Mutual Logistics Support Arrangement between the Indian Navy and the New Zealand Defence Force – will enable reciprocal logistical assistance during naval deployments, exercises and humanitarian operations, substantially improving operational interoperability between the two maritime forces.

The leaders also agreed to establish an annual Maritime Security Dialogue and welcomed New Zealand’s decision to make Maritime Security its priority pillar under India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI), opening new opportunities for collaboration in regional maritime governance.

Naval cooperation is also expected to expand through bilateral exercises and increased interaction between the two navies.

The maritime agreements assume significance as both countries reaffirmed their shared commitment to a free, open, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific based on international law, freedom of navigation and peaceful resolution of disputes.

Broader defence and security cooperation

Beyond maritime cooperation, the summit reinforced defence engagement that has expanded steadily since the signing of the bilateral Defence Cooperation Memorandum in 2025.

The leaders agreed to institutionalise regular interaction between their defence ministries and armed services while reviewing progress achieved under existing mechanisms.

They also welcomed successful cooperation under Combined Task Force-150, where New Zealand served as Commander and India as Deputy Commander during 2025, supporting multinational efforts to combat narcotics trafficking, terrorism and illicit maritime activities across West Asia and the western Indian Ocean.

Recognising the increasingly complex security environment, the two countries pledged closer cooperation in counter-terrorism, cyber security and other emerging security challenges through both bilateral mechanisms and multilateral platforms.

Law enforcement cooperation will also be strengthened to combat organised crime, drug trafficking, cyber-enabled crime, human trafficking, people smuggling and financial crimes.

Both governments agreed to expedite formal arrangements covering counter-narcotics cooperation and broader law enforcement collaboration.

Economic partnership gets a major boost

The summit also produced a major breakthrough on the economic front with the conclusion of the long-awaited India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement, ending years of negotiations.

The leaders described the agreement as balanced, comprehensive and mutually beneficial and committed themselves to ensuring its early implementation.

They also announced an ambitious target of doubling bilateral trade in goods and services to NZ$7 billion (around ₹35,000 crore) by 2030, recognising that economic engagement has not kept pace with the potential offered by the two economies.

The Free Trade Agreement is expected to remove barriers to trade, facilitate greater investment flows and create new opportunities across agriculture, food processing, manufacturing, clean energy, digital services, logistics and innovation.

Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Luxon expressed confidence that New Zealand’s expertise in technology, agriculture, skills development and sustainable industries could contribute meaningfully to India’s Viksit Bharat 2047 (Developed India 2047) vision while opening one of the world’s fastest-growing markets to New Zealand businesses.

Prime Minister Luxon reaffirmed New Zealand’s commitment to supporting India’s economic transformation through greater investments, technology partnerships, skills development and innovation.

The leaders also welcomed the signing of a Memorandum of Arrangement on Tourism, recognising tourism as an important driver of economic growth and people-to-people engagement. They reiterated the need for direct non-stop air connectivity between the two countries, which has long been viewed as essential for expanding tourism, business travel and educational exchanges.

Agriculture emerges as a new growth engine

Agriculture featured prominently during the summit, reflecting New Zealand’s global reputation in dairy, horticulture and sustainable farming technologies.

The two leaders welcomed deeper cooperation in horticulture, forestry, dairying and animal husbandry while highlighting New Zealand’s expertise in food safety, value-chain development, productivity enhancement and post-harvest management.

Particular emphasis was placed on the Agricultural Productivity Partnership under the FTA, which aims to improve productivity in kiwifruit, apples and honey through joint action plans.

The leaders also welcomed New Zealand’s support for establishing Centres of Excellence for kiwifruit cultivation in India, alongside expanded institutional collaboration in agricultural research and innovation.

Another important outcome was the conclusion of a Memorandum of Cooperation on Animal Husbandry and Dairying, expected to facilitate technology transfer, research collaboration and capacity building.

The leaders also discussed strengthening cooperation between maritime authorities on recognising seafarer competency certificates, a move expected to improve employment opportunities for Indian seafarers while strengthening maritime industries in both countries.

Education and innovation strengthen long-term partnership

Education continues to remain one of the strongest pillars of India-New Zealand relations.

Recognising the growing number of Indian students studying in New Zealand and increasing institutional collaboration, the two Prime Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening partnerships between universities, research institutions and industry.

Building on the Education Cooperation Arrangement signed in 2025, both countries agreed to expand student mobility, academic collaboration, innovation partnerships and joint research in emerging fields including agriculture, climate science, digital technologies and artificial intelligence.

Science, technology and innovation were identified as major future areas of cooperation, with both sides encouraging closer engagement between governments, universities and private industry.

Stronger cultural and diaspora linkages

People-to-people ties remain one of the strongest foundations of India-New Zealand relations.

The two leaders acknowledged the Indian community in New Zealand as an integral part of the country’s multicultural society and described it as a living bridge connecting both nations.

Over the years, the Indian diaspora has emerged as one of New Zealand’s fastest-growing communities, making significant contributions across business, education, healthcare, public service and sports.

The summit also celebrated 100 Years of Unity Through Sport, marking a century of sporting links between the two countries.

The leaders welcomed the India-New Zealand Joint Action Plan on Sport, which seeks to expand cooperation in coaching, sports science, high-performance training, sports business and institutional exchanges.

Cultural diplomacy also received fresh momentum through an Arrangement on Cultural Cooperation, initiatives on traditional medicine and a partnership between India’s National Maritime Heritage Complex at Lothal and the New Zealand Maritime Museum, reflecting the maritime heritage shared by both nations.

Climate change and disaster resilience

Recognising climate change as a common challenge, India and New Zealand agreed to deepen cooperation through multilateral initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance, the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, and the Global Biofuels Alliance, which New Zealand has joined.

The two sides also signed a Memorandum of Cooperation between India’s National Disaster Management Authority and New Zealand’s National Emergency Management Agency, focusing on disaster preparedness, risk reduction, response, recovery and resilience.

The agreement reflects increasing recognition that climate-related disasters pose shared challenges across the Indo-Pacific, particularly for vulnerable Pacific Island nations.

Convergence on the Indo-Pacific and global governance

The summit also demonstrated unprecedented convergence on regional and global strategic issues.

Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to a free, open, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific, emphasising respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and international law.

Without naming any country, the joint statement reaffirmed freedom of navigation and overflight, peaceful resolution of disputes and adherence to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) – principles that have acquired increasing significance amid maritime tensions in the Indo-Pacific.

The two leaders reaffirmed support for ASEAN centrality and ASEAN-led regional mechanisms, including the East Asia Summit, ASEAN Regional Forum and the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus.

The summit also highlighted convergence on reforming global governance institutions.

New Zealand reiterated its support for India’s permanent membership of a reformed United Nations Security Council, while both countries backed expansion of the Security Council in both permanent and non-permanent categories to better reflect contemporary geopolitical realities.

The leaders also reaffirmed support for India’s membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

Firm stand against terrorism

Counter-terrorism emerged as another major pillar of the strategic partnership.

The two Prime Ministers unequivocally condemned terrorism in all its forms and specifically denounced the April 22, 2025, terrorist attack in Pahalgam and the November 10, 2025, terror incident near Delhi’s Red Fort.

Calling for zero tolerance towards terrorism, they urged all countries to dismantle terrorist infrastructure, disrupt financing networks and bring perpetrators to justice.

Both countries also welcomed the establishment of a Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism, which will institutionalise information sharing and policy coordination between the two governments.

They further reaffirmed cooperation within the UN and the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to counter terrorism financing and ensure action against UN-designated terrorist organisations.

Shared concerns over global conflicts

The leaders expressed concern over continuing instability in the West Asia and Ukraine.

On West Asia, they called for restraint, dialogue and diplomacy while stressing the importance of restoring freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, recognising its critical importance for global energy supplies and maritime trade.

On Ukraine, both countries reiterated support for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace achieved through dialogue consistent with the UN Charter and international law.

The leaders also highlighted the growing importance of resilient global supply chains, noting that disruptions disproportionately affect Indo-Pacific economies and Pacific Island nations through rising transport, shipping and energy costs.

A landmark visit that resets bilateral relations

Prime Minister Modi’s visit may ultimately be remembered as the moment when bilateral relations moved decisively beyond their traditional focus on trade, education and diaspora ties towards a genuinely comprehensive strategic partnership.

The adoption of the ‘India-New Zealand Strategic Partnership: Roadmap to 2030’, the conclusion of the Free Trade Agreement, the expansion of defence and maritime cooperation, and growing convergence on Indo-Pacific security collectively signal a transformation in the relationship.

For India, the partnership complements its broader Indo-Pacific strategy by strengthening engagement with a like-minded democracy in the South Pacific. For New Zealand, closer ties with one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies diversify its strategic and economic partnerships in an increasingly uncertain geopolitical environment.

As Ministers and senior officials begin implementing the ‘Roadmap to 2030’, the Auckland summit has laid the institutional foundations for a relationship that is likely to become far broader, deeper and more consequential than at any time in the history of India-New Zealand relations.