India, New Zealand unveil Strategic Partnership, adopt Roadmap to 2030
The roadmap places significant emphasis on defence and security cooperation, including military exercises, personnel exchanges, naval engagements and high-level defence dialogues.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi with his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon at Sporting Showcase in Auckland, New Zealand on July 11, 2026.
Auckland/New Delhi: India and New Zealand have elevated their bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership, unveiling an ambitious Roadmap to 2030 that sets out a comprehensive framework for cooperation across diplomacy, defence, trade, education, technology, climate action and regional security.
The roadmap was announced following talks between the Prime Ministers of the two countries in Auckland on July 11. It outlines a shared vision to deepen engagement over the next four years through six key pillars covering political dialogue, defence and security, economic cooperation, people-to-people ties, innovation, and multilateral collaboration.
Stronger political engagement
Under the first pillar, both countries agreed to institutionalise regular meetings between their Prime Ministers, Cabinet Ministers and senior officials, while strengthening parliamentary exchanges and diplomatic consultations. Annual meetings between senior foreign affairs officials will monitor the implementation of the Strategic Partnership and the Roadmap to 2030.
Defence and maritime cooperation to expand
The roadmap places significant emphasis on defence and security cooperation, including military exercises, personnel exchanges, naval engagements and high-level defence dialogues.
India and New Zealand will implement the 2025 Memorandum of Understanding on Defence Cooperation along with recently concluded agreements on maritime cooperation, hydrography, nautical cartography and mutual logistics support. Both countries will also establish an annual Maritime Security Dialogue and strengthen collaboration on counter-terrorism, cyber security, law enforcement, disaster resilience and efforts to combat narcotics trafficking.
Trade target of NZ$7 billion by 2030
Economic cooperation forms another major pillar of the partnership. Both countries have set an aspirational target of doubling bilateral trade in goods and services to NZ$7 billion (approximately ₹35,000 crore) by 2030.
They also agreed to work towards the early entry into force and effective implementation of the proposed India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement. The roadmap further calls for operationalising customs cooperation arrangements to simplify trade procedures and facilitate trusted trade between businesses.
The agreement also expands collaboration in horticulture, forestry, animal husbandry and dairy sectors through knowledge sharing, research and policy cooperation.
Tourism, culture and sports
To strengthen people-to-people connections, the roadmap encourages greater engagement with the Indian diaspora in New Zealand while expanding cooperation in tourism, sports, culture and traditional medicine.
Both countries will work towards promoting direct non-stop air connectivity under the updated Air Services Agreement, which is expected to boost tourism and business travel.
The roadmap also supports cooperation between maritime heritage institutions, local governments and sporting organisations.
Focus on education, innovation and climate
India and New Zealand will deepen collaboration in education through institutional partnerships, student exchanges and academic cooperation under the Education Cooperation Arrangement signed in 2025.
The two countries also plan to expand joint work in research, science, digital transformation, agriculture and emerging technologies. Climate action will remain an important area of engagement through initiatives under the International Solar Alliance and the Global Biofuels Alliance.
Cooperation in disaster management will also be strengthened through a Memorandum of Cooperation between India’s National Disaster Management Authority and New Zealand’s National Emergency Management Agency.
Regional and global cooperation
At the multilateral level, both countries reaffirmed their commitment to a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific. They agreed to strengthen cooperation in ASEAN-led forums, support peaceful resolution of maritime disputes in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and work together in international organisations.
New Zealand also expressed support for reform of the United Nations, including India’s candidature for permanent membership of a reformed UN Security Council.
The two sides clarified that the Roadmap to 2030 serves as a framework for future cooperation and does not create any legally binding rights, obligations or financial commitments under domestic or international law.
