Amitabh Prasad, Joint Secretary at India's Ministry of Defence, and Richard Schmidt, Deputy Secretary at New Zealand's Ministry of Defence, co-chaired the 2nd India-New Zealand Defence Strategic Dialogue in Wellington on 24 August 2026, with maritime security, joint training, and defence cooperation topping the agenda. The dialogue also advanced the objectives of the bilateral Roadmap 2030 framework, signalling a structured, long-term approach to the two countries' strategic partnership.

Key Developments at the Dialogue

The Indian delegation, led by Joint Secretary Amitabh Prasad, was formally received by Muanpuii Saiawi, High Commissioner of India to New Zealand, underscoring the diplomatic weight attached to the meeting. According to India's Ministry of Defence, the dialogue covered concrete areas of collaboration including joint military training exercises and coordinated maritime security measures in the Indo-Pacific region.

This is the second edition of the Defence Strategic Dialogue, reflecting the growing institutional depth of India-New Zealand defence ties — a relationship that has accelerated markedly over the past year.

Modi-Luxon Summit: The Strategic Foundation

The Wellington dialogue builds directly on the high-level political momentum generated in July 2026, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an official visit to New Zealand — the first by an Indian Prime Minister in four decades — and held talks with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in Auckland.

Following those talks, Modi posted on X that his meeting with Luxon was 'extensive and fruitful', adding: 'We have decided to elevate our ties to a Strategic Partnership. We will move forward across every sector with clear goals and concrete outcomes.'

Modi also noted that Luxon's own visit to India the previous year had 'energised' the bilateral partnership, and that his Auckland visit had 'added further momentum to the India-New Zealand friendship.'

Broad Agenda: Beyond Defence

While defence and security form the centrepiece of the upgraded relationship, the Modi-Luxon summit in July covered a wide canvas. In a follow-up post on X, Modi outlined that discussions encompassed trade, technology, investment, agriculture, dairy and food processing, healthcare, traditional medicine, and education.

'Our growing cooperation in defence and security reflects the deep strategic trust between our two countries. This is something we will build on as well,' Modi stated. The August defence dialogue in Wellington is a direct institutional follow-through on those commitments.

Why This Matters for the Indo-Pacific

India's deepening defence engagement with New Zealand fits into a broader pattern of New Delhi building strategic partnerships across the Indo-Pacific — from the Quad (with the US, Japan, and Australia) to bilateral frameworks with Pacific island-adjacent nations. New Zealand, as a member of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance and a Pacific power, represents a strategically significant partner for India's maritime security architecture.

Notably, the Roadmap 2030 provides a time-bound framework that goes beyond diplomatic optics, setting sector-specific goals through the end of the decade. With the second Defence Strategic Dialogue now concluded, both sides are expected to outline next steps for joint exercises and maritime domain awareness cooperation in the months ahead.