Luxon: India-New Zealand Cooperation Has Deepened Remarkably During My Visit

Synopsis

New Zealand PM Christopher Luxon emphasized the strengthened partnership with India during his recent visit, marking significant progress in trade and defense cooperation. He highlighted the launch of FTA negotiations and the potential for economic growth between the two nations.

Key Takeaways

New Zealand-India partnership has strengthened significantly.
Launch of Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations.
Focus on enhancing collaboration in key sectors.
Strengthened defense cooperation through new agreements.
Both nations aim for deeper economic integration.

Wellington, March 22 (NationPress) Referring to India as an increasingly important partner, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon stated on Saturday that the collaboration between the two nations has significantly strengthened during his five-day trip to New Delhi and Mumbai earlier this week.

"India, the world’s most populous nation, is an increasingly important ally for New Zealand. This partnership has grown much stronger during my visit this week," Luxon mentioned following his return from an official trip to India from March 16-20.

"It was a pleasure to visit India this week and engage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to explore avenues for enhancing ties between our nations. I am thrilled that negotiations on a Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement have officially commenced," he remarked.

This was Luxon's inaugural visit to India in his current role - marking the first visit by a New Zealand Prime Minister since October 2016. During their talks, both Prime Ministers expressed their enthusiasm for the initiation of FTA negotiations aimed at establishing a balanced, ambitious, comprehensive, and mutually advantageous trade agreement to deepen economic integration.

"India is one of the fastest-growing economies and is on track to become the third largest globally within the next decade. Our Government is steadfastly focused on enhancing our economy to ensure all Kiwis can thrive, and the launch of negotiations presents an excellent opportunity to achieve that," Luxon shared on X on Saturday.

To strengthen bilateral defense cooperation, the two nations have also formalized a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for Defense Cooperation and acknowledged the importance of safeguarding sea lanes of communication, agreeing that regular dialogue is essential to enhance maritime safety.

"New Zealand’s commitment to regional security has been further solidified, with New Zealand and India unveiling a new Defense Cooperation Arrangement," the New Zealand PM noted on Saturday.

During his five-day journey to New Delhi and Mumbai, Luxon was joined by Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston; Ethnic Communities, and Sport and Recreation Minister Mark Mitchell; Todd McClay, the Minister for Trade and Investment, Agriculture, and Forestry; alongside a high-level delegation that included officials, representatives from businesses, community diaspora, media, and cultural groups.

"Additionally, I and our business delegation emphasized enhancing New Zealand's presence in crucial sectors, such as education, technology, tourism, investment, manufacturing, food, and primary industries. Unlocking new business opportunities, 33 MOUs and other commercial outcomes were advanced during the mission, reflecting the strengthening partnerships between New Zealand and Indian enterprises," Luxon commented upon his return.