India, New Zealand ink defence pact; PM Modi flags concerns over 'anti-India activities'

New Delhi: India and New Zealand on Monday agreed to expand bilateral defence cooperation even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Kiwi counterpart Christopher Luxon condemned terrorism and called for disrupting terrorist financing networks.

Modi also conveyed to Luxon New Delhi’s concerns over the activities of Khalistani Sikh extremists in New Zealand running a secessionist campaign against India.

Hours after a meeting at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, the two prime ministers in the evening joined each other in visiting and paying obeisance at a gurdwara in the national capital of India.

A day after the trade ministers of the two nations announced the relaunch of the negotiations for a trade agreement, the prime ministers of India and New Zealand called for greater two-way investment, reflective of the ongoing strong momentum in bilateral cooperation.

They noted that a balanced, ambitious, comprehensive, and mutually beneficial trade agreement would help deepen economic integration. “By leveraging each country's strengths, addressing their respective concerns, and tackling challenges, a bilateral trade agreement can foster mutually beneficial trade and investment growth, ensuring equitable gains and complementarities for both sides,” Modi and Luxon noted in a joint statement issued after the meeting.

The two sides inked an Authorized Economic Operators Mutual Recognition Arrangement (AEO-MRA) within the framework of the Customs Cooperation Arrangement (CCA) signed in 2024. This will facilitate easier movement of goods between the two countries by respective trusted traders through close cooperation between customs authorities, thereby boosting bilateral trade, according to the joint statement.

India and New Zealand also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for defence cooperation.

“We've decided to strengthen and institutionalise our defence and security collaboration. In addition to joint exercises, training, and port visits, a roadmap for bilateral defence industry collaboration will be developed,” Modi told journalists after his meeting with Luxon.

They agreed on the need to ensure the safety and security of sea lanes of communication and decided to have regular dialogue to discuss ways of enhancing maritime safety.

Modi referred to the November 26-28, 2008, attacks in Mumbai in India, and the March 15, 2019, attacks on two mosques in Christchurch in New Zealand.

“Strict action is necessary against those guilty of terrorist attacks. We will continue to cooperate against terrorist, separatist and radical elements,” he said, adding: “In this context, we shared our concern about anti-India activities by some illegal elements in New Zealand. We are confident that we will continue to get the cooperation of the New Zealand government against all these illegal elements.”

The two sides inked agreements for cooperation on horticulture, forestry, sports and education.