New Zealand, India strike 'milestone' strategic partnership

AUCKLAND

New Zealand and India announced on July 11 the creation of a strategic partnership encompassing defense and security, during a landmark visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon feted his guest in Auckland with an indigenous Maori welcome and a guard of honour, seeking to expand relations after signing a free-trade pact in April that he has touted as an economic boon.

Modi's visit, at the tail end of a July 6-11 tour that has also taken him to Indonesia and Australia, came in the aftermath of China test-firing a ballistic missile into the Pacific Ocean on July 632, stirring unease in the region.

It was the first visit to New Zealand by an Indian prime minister in 40 years, a sign of Delhi's deeper engagement at a time of strengthened Chinese diplomatic and military presence in the Pacific.

Modi described the strategic partnership as a "milestone" that would inspire greater energy and confidence.

The pact covers tighter defense cooperation, including with naval exercises, as well as stronger ties in trade, diplomacy, culture, sport and science, the two countries said in a joint statement.

The nations have a shared interest in a "free, open, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific, "they said.

The two countries "quickly canvassed" the Chinese missile test, Luxon told reporters in a briefing after the talks.

He skirted a question about whether closer New Zealand-India ties would curb Beijing's ambitions in the region.

"We are a small trading nation. We are a maritime nation. We need to have as many relationships as we possibly can with partners around the world that are like-minded, and some of those are around defence, and some of those around trade, some around both."