India, New Zealand seal strategic partnership: PM Modi, Luxon unveil ambitious roadmap to 2030

"The Prime Ministers endorsed this Roadmap to 2030 as a shared framework to guide joint action and further strengthen the India-New Zealand Strategic Partnership over the next four years," the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a statement.

Prime Minister Modi held extensive bilateral talks with his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon in both restricted and delegation-level formats.

The leaders reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral relations, including trade and investment, defence and security, agri-tech, sports, education, tourism, culture, and people-to-people ties.

Both Prime Ministers underscored the importance of the early implementation of the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

Following the talks, the two leaders witnessed the exchange of several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and agreements covering defence and maritime security, hydrography, sports, disaster management, dairy, tourism, maritime heritage, culture, food technology, and ocean research.

The PMO said the Strategic Partnership is built around six key pillars that will guide bilateral cooperation under the Roadmap to 2030.

Pillar I: Political and Diplomatic Engagement

Hold regular meetings and reciprocal visits between the Prime Ministers and Cabinet Ministers, including on the sidelines of regional and multilateral events.

Strengthen high-level cooperation through regular Foreign Ministers' Dialogues.

Intensify engagements between relevant ministries and government departments across sectors of mutual interest.

Promote regular parliamentary exchanges and official visits.

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Institutionalise annual meetings between India's Ministry of External Affairs and New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to oversee the implementation of the Strategic Partnership and the Roadmap to 2030.

Pillar II: Defence and Security Cooperation

Expand military cooperation through joint exercises, visits by naval, air and land units, personnel exchanges, sporting engagements, defence staff college exchanges, and high-level defence dialogues.

Continue implementation of the 2025 India-New Zealand Memorandum of Understanding on Defence Cooperation.

Operationalise the Maritime Cooperation Arrangement, the Implementing Arrangement on Hydrography and Nautical Cartography, and the Mutual Logistics Support Arrangement focused on the maritime domain.

Conduct bilateral naval exercises under the Maritime Cooperation Arrangement.

Deepen cooperation on maritime security through the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative.

Establish an annual Maritime Security Dialogue led by the foreign ministries of both countries.

Operationalise the Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism and convene its inaugural meeting at a mutually agreed time.

Expand collaboration through the India-New Zealand Cyber Dialogue.

Finalise agreements on combating narcotics trafficking and enhance law enforcement cooperation between India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the New Zealand Police.

Strengthen collaboration under the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).

Pillar III: Trade and Economic Cooperation

Bilateral Trade

Work towards doubling two-way trade in goods and services to NZ$7 billion (around ₹35,000 crore) by 2030.

Fast-track implementation of the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement.

Operationalise the Authorised Economic Operators Mutual Recognition Arrangement (AEO-MRA) to simplify customs procedures and facilitate trusted trade.

Primary Industries

Implement the 2025 Memorandum of Cooperation on Horticulture to promote joint research, knowledge exchange, post-harvest innovation, and market development.

Implement the 2025 Letter of Intent on Forestry Cooperation through policy dialogue and technical exchanges.

Strengthen cooperation in animal husbandry and dairying through the relevant Memorandum of Cooperation.

Tourism

Operationalise the Memorandum of Arrangement on Tourism to boost two-way travel and industry collaboration.

Encourage airlines to launch direct non-stop flights under the updated Air Services Agreement.

Pillar IV: People, Culture and Sport

Engage the Indian diaspora in strengthening bilateral people-to-people ties.

Implement the 2025 Memorandum of Cooperation on Sport and the Joint Action Plan on Sport.

Promote expert-level exchanges on traditional medicine.

Continue dialogue on mutual recognition of seafarer competency certificates.

Encourage cooperation between the National Maritime Heritage Complex in Lothal and the New Zealand Maritime Museum.

Implement the Cultural Cooperation Arrangement to deepen cultural understanding.

Encourage collaboration between local governments.

Pillar V: Education, Research, Science, Technology and Disaster Management

Implement the 2025 Education Cooperation Arrangement to facilitate academic exchanges and institutional partnerships.

Expand government and institutional collaborations aligned with the education framework.

Deepen cooperation on climate action and low-emission transitions through the International Solar Alliance.

Collaborate under the Global Biofuels Alliance to promote sustainable energy transitions.

Encourage partnerships in research, science, technology and innovation, particularly in agriculture, climate, digital transformation, and emerging technologies.

Implement the Memorandum of Cooperation between India's National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and New Zealand's National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) covering preparedness, emergency response, and capacity building.

Pillar VI: Regional and Multilateral Cooperation

Coordinate positions on ASEAN-led and other regional forums to uphold a rules-based Indo-Pacific.

Explore practical cooperation under the Maritime Security pillar of the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative and support the peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Strengthen cooperation at the United Nations and support UN reforms, including India's candidature for permanent membership of a reformed UN Security Council.

Extend mutual support, where possible, for each other's candidatures in multilateral and international organisations.

The Roadmap to 2030 outlines an ambitious agenda aimed at significantly expanding India-New Zealand cooperation across diplomacy, defence, trade, education, climate action, technology, disaster management, and multilateral engagement, marking a new chapter in bilateral relations.