NEW DELHI: During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s landmark visit to Auckland, India and New Zealand officially elevated their bilateral ties to a Strategic Partnership. Modi and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon signed a broad package of agreements, headlined by the historic India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to double bilateral trade to ₹35,000 crore by 2030.
Other key agreements and pacts finalized during the visit include:
Strategic Roadmap: The “Roadmap to 2030”, laying out a framework for expanded cooperation in trade, agriculture, science, innovation, and clean energy.
Maritime Cooperation: A package of pacts including a Mutual Logistics Support Arrangement and Maritime Cooperation Arrangement to enhance Indo-Pacific naval and hydrography operations.
Aviation & Tourism: A Memorandum of Arrangement (MoA) on tourism aimed at encouraging airlines to commence non-stop direct flights between the two countries.
Counter-Terrorism: A Joint Working Group (JWG) on Counter-Terrorism for information sharing and coordination at the United Nations and Financial Action Task Force (FATF).