India, New Zealand adopt Strategic Partnership Roadmap to 2030 with trade target of NZ$7 billion
According to the India-New Zealand Joint Statement, the two Prime Ministers “decided to elevate the bilateral relationship to ‘Strategic Partnership'” and endorsed the “India-New Zealand Strategic Partnership: Roadmap to 2030” as “a framework to guide joint action over the next four years”.
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The Joint Statement stated that the two leaders “agreed on an ambitious long-term vision for the Strategic Partnership, which aims to take bilateral relations to a new level, strengthen existing cooperation mechanisms and explore new ways to deepen both bilateral and multilateral cooperation.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is paying an official visit to New Zealand on July 10-11 at the invitation of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. The visit was the first by an Indian Prime Minister to New Zealand in 40 years.
Phase III of the Trade and Economic Cooperation Roadmap. As per the pillar, both countries agreed to “work towards an ambitious target of doubling two-way trade in goods and services to NZD7 billion (₹35,000 crore) by 2030”.
The roadmap also states that both parties will “work together on next steps to ensure early entry into force and effective implementation of the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement.”
Reiterating this commitment, the Joint Statement said the Prime Ministers “welcomed the conclusion and signing of the balanced, comprehensive and mutually beneficial India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA)” and “agreed to work together to ensure the early entry into force and effective implementation of this agreement”. The Joint Statement said the leaders recognized “the important role of the FTA in strengthening the bilateral economic partnership, including removing barriers to trade, increasing cooperation and encouraging New Zealand investment in India.”
It was also stated that New Zealand “can support India’s Viksit Bharat ambition to become a developed country by 2047, including cooperation in trade, agriculture, skills, innovation, clean energy, sports and other areas.”
On customs cooperation, the Roadmap provides for the operationalization of the “2025 Authorized Economic Operators Mutual Recognition Arrangement (AEO-MRA) under the auspices of the 2024 Customs Cooperation Arrangement (CCA) to simplify customs processes and facilitate trustworthy trade.”
The two leaders also welcomed the signing of the Tourism Agreement and “encouraged airlines to launch direct non-stop flights between India and New Zealand.”
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The Joint Statement highlighted increased cooperation in key industries, including horticulture, forestry, animal husbandry and dairying, and welcomed the Agricultural Productivity Partnership under the FTA, including New Zealand’s work with India on productivity action plans for kiwifruit, apples and honey, support for kiwifruit Centers of Excellence in India, and the conclusion of the Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation on Livestock and Dairying.
The leaders also welcomed the ongoing dialogue between the Directorate General of Maritime India and Maritime New Zealand to strengthen the recognition of seafarer qualification certificates, noting that greater recognition will support seafarer mobility and strengthen cooperation between the two countries’ maritime authorities.
