India, New Zealand elevate ties, target ₹35,000 crore trade by 2030

INdia and young seeland on sat elevated their dealings to a strategical partnership and set a target of increasing trade in goods and services to ₹35,000 crore (US$4 billion) by 2030 as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his counterpart Christopher Luxon pledged to deepen cooperation in trade and security and strengthen a rules-based Indo-Pacific.New Zealand was the final destination of Modi’s three-nation tour, which also included Indonesia and Australia and was focused on forging closer economic and strategic ties with key players in the Indo-Pacific region amid continuing volatility and uncertainty on the global stage. Modi was the first Indian premier to visit New Zealand in four decades.The two sides concluded a dozen agreements, including measures for enhanced maritime cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, a mutual logistics support arrangement for warships to access support at each other’s bases, the establishment of a joint working group to counter terrorism, and a joint action plan on sport. They also finalised a roadmap to enhance ties in different sectors till 2030.“We have taken the historic decision to elevate India-New Zealand relations to a strategic partnership…We will move forward with clear goals and concrete results in every area,” Modi said at an event themed “India-New Zealand: A winning partnership” that was also attended by Luxon.Modi said close cooperation between the two maritime nations will give the Indo-Pacific new strength, and the two sides can act as catalysts advocating for peace.Also Read:India flags concerns over targeting of commercial ships, escalating Iran-US tensionsLuxon described the strategic partnership as a “significant step forward in a world that is increasingly volatile and uncertain”, and said it provides a stronger platform for practical cooperation and will enable closer cooperation in defence, maritime security and law enforcement.India and New Zealand have a shared interest in a free, open, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific and will strengthen maritime cooperation, including through the new Maritime Cooperation Arrangement between India’s defence ministry and the New Zealand Defence Force and the Mutual Logistics Support Arrangement, according to a joint statement. They also agreed to establish an annual maritime security dialogue to strengthen coordination and information exchanges.Modi and Luxon reaffirmed their commitment to respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity and upholding a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific, the joint statement said.They also reiterated their support for freedom of navigation and overflight in line with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and emphasised the importance of working together for security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.Modi’s visit came less than three months after the signing of a free trade agreement (FTA) with New Zealand, and the two sides set the goal of doubling annual trade in goods and services to ₹35,000 crore (NZ$7 billion or US$4 billion) by 2030. Bilateral trade was worth US$2 billion in 2024, with Indian exports of goods and services valued at US$1 billion.“Our trade has grown by more than 50% over the last three years. We are confident that the FTA will provide a strong foundation for doubling our trade over the next five years. We also welcome New Zealand’s investment commitment of US$20 billion in India. This will provide New Zealand companies with the opportunity to become long-term partners in India’s growth story,” Modi said.Luxon and Modi also agreed to work together to ensure the early entry into force of the FTA. Rudrendra Tandon, secretary (East) in the external affairs ministry, told a media briefing that New Zealand’s Parliament had completed the first of three readings of the FTA as part of the ratification process. He quoted Luxon as telling Modi that there is bipartisan support for the trade deal in New Zealand and didn’t foresee any problem for its ratification.Luxon described India as an Indo-Pacific partner known for its scale, innovation, ambition and strategic influence, while New Zealand is trusted and globally connected and offers expertise in food production, education and technology. Modi said the FTA will open new doors for industries, farmers and youth and create a blueprint for trade, trust, technology and talent.Modi and Luxon expressed concern at the renewed escalation of tensions in the Middle East and called on all parties to exercise restraint, de-escalate tensions and ensure protection of civilians, the joint statement said. They called for full restoration of freedom of navigation and global flow of commerce through the Strait of Hormuz, and opposed “any constraints on shipping”. They also reiterated the importance of dialogue and diplomacy to achieve a peaceful and lasting solution.They also discussed the situation in Ukraine and expressed concern at the ongoing war that continues to “cause immense human suffering and global consequences”. They will support efforts for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace through dialogue and diplomacy, based on the principles of the UN Charter and international law, the joint statement said.Modi and Luxon also reiterated their condemnation of all forms of terror, including cross-border terrorism, and condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgam in April 2025 and the terror incident near the Red Fort in November 2025 and called for those responsible to be held accountable. They backed a zero-tolerance and consistent approach to terror and called for disrupting terrorist financing networks and safe havens and dismantling of terror infrastructure. They further agreed to strengthen cooperation in combating terrorism and welcomed the signing of an agreement on establishing a joint working group on counter-terrorism which will facilitate information and knowledge sharing.The two leaders discussed the importance of transparent and resilient supply chains and expressed deep concern at disruptions across the Indo-Pacific, and noted that the stability of global supply routes is essential to the region, the joint statement said.Among the other agreements concluded by the two sides were an implementation arrangement on cooperation in hydrography and nautical cartography which will strengthen cooperation in joint production of navigational charts and hydrographic data-sharing, a memorandum of cooperation between India’s National Disaster Management Authority and the National Emergency Management Agency of New Zealand for collaboration in disaster risk management, earthquake resilience, tsunami preparedness and coastal hazard mitigation, and a memorandum of arrangement in tourism that will help strengthen economic ties and increase tourist flows.The National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research in Goa and the University of Canterbury in New Zealand signed an MoU for collaboration in Antarctic research and other scientific and educational activities, while another MoU between the National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management, Kundli, and Massey University in New Zealand will boost cooperation in research, academic exchanges, and student mobility.New Zealand announced it will join the Global Biofuels Alliance and nominated maritime security as its priority pillar under the India-led Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) to undertake cooperation activities focused on combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.