- India and New Zealand upgraded their relationship to a Strategic Partnership with a Roadmap to 2030
- The two countries aim to double bilateral trade to NZ$7 billion by 2030 under a new Free Trade Agreement
- Ten defence agreements include maritime cooperation and mutual logistics support between navies
India and New Zealand have upgraded their bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership, unveiling a Roadmap to 2030 to guide cooperation across trade, defence, maritime security and people-to-people ties, according to a list of outcomes released by the Prime Minister's Office following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official visit to Wellington.
During delegation-level talks in Auckland on Saturday, PM Modi and his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon endorsed the ‘India-New Zealand Strategic Partnership: Roadmap to 2030', which lays out plans to strengthen cooperation in trade, agriculture, security, innovation, tourism and people-to-people ties.
Calling it a “turning point" in bilateral relations, PM Modi said the upgrade was “not merely a diplomatic milestone" but a new commitment to the two countries' shared future.
Held extensive and fruitful talks with PM Luxon in Auckland this morning. His own visit to India last year energised our bilateral partnership and my visit today, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in 4 decades, has added further momentum to the India-New Zealand friendship.… pic.twitter.com/W8bpOfAeeE
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 11, 2026
The visit, taking place on July 10 and 11, is the first by an Indian prime minister to New Zealand in 40 years. PM Modi said the visit had injected fresh momentum into the relationship and described the recently signed Free Trade Agreement as a historic milestone.
Trade And Economic Cooperation
The two countries have set a target to double bilateral trade to NZ$7 billion, or roughly Rs 35,000 crore, by 2030, in the context of an ongoing Free Trade Agreement.
As part of agricultural cooperation, a Kiwifruit Action Plan was launched alongside two new Centres of Excellence for kiwifruit in Nagaland and Uttarakhand, aimed at boosting productivity through skills development and innovation.
Defence And Maritime Security
Ten agreements were signed spanning defence and security cooperation, including a Memorandum of Arrangement on maritime cooperation between India's Ministry of Defence and the New Zealand Defence Force, and a mutual logistics support pact between the Indian Navy and its New Zealand counterpart.
The two sides also agreed to establish a Maritime Security Dialogue and a Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism, while New Zealand has nominated maritime security as a priority pillar under India's Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative, focusing on tackling illegal and unregulated fishing.
ALSO READ: India, New Zealand Plan Strategic Partnership Including Maritime Security
Disaster Management, Culture And Sport
India's National Disaster Management Authority and New Zealand's National Emergency Management Agency signed a cooperation pact focused on earthquake and tsunami preparedness.
Separate arrangements covered cultural exchange, tourism promotion, and a joint action plan on sport encompassing high-performance training, sports science and athlete development.
An agreement was also signed for developing the National Maritime Heritage Complex at Lothal, Gujarat, with the New Zealand Maritime Museum.
Education, Research And Clean Energy
New Zealand has joined the Global Biofuels Alliance to support cleaner energy transitions.
Academic collaboration was strengthened through MoUs between Goa's National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research and the University of Canterbury for Antarctic research, and between NIFTEM-Kundli and Massey University covering research and student mobility.
ALSO READ: India, New Zealand Set 2030 Vision: Five Big Announcements From PM Modi's Visit
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