New Delhi: India and New Zealand made a big move on Monday to work together more closely in defense and trade. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon about their shared goal to keep the Indo-Pacific region open and stable.
The two leaders agreed to start talks on a free trade agreement, which will make it easier for goods to move between the two countries. Currently, trade between India and New Zealand is about $1.8 billion. Modi mentioned they will also work together to boost support for digital payments and ease the movement of goods.
Modi said, “We will strengthen our defense and security partnership,” which will include activities like joint military exercises and visiting each other’s naval bases. He expressed concerns over pro-Khalistan groups in New Zealand and mentioned the need to work together against terrorism. Both leaders condemned acts of terrorism and agreed to cooperate against groups that promote violence.
On trade, they hope to finish the free trade agreement by the end of this year. This agreement would be good for both economies and could open doors for Indian students in New Zealand. They also talked about ways to help farmers and improve education.
With over 150,000 Indian tourists visiting New Zealand last year, they plan to encourage airlines to start direct flights between the two nations. Both leaders also discussed the importance of peace in the Middle East and Ukraine and agreed on the need to respect international laws.
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