New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon embarked on a significant official visit to India from March 16th to 20th, 2025, aiming to deepen bilateral ties across various sectors. This visit underscored the growing strategic and economic partnership between the two nations. Luxon is the chief guest and keynote speaker at the Raisina Dialogue, a geopolitical conference taking place in Delhi from March 17th to March 19th. He was warmly received by the Minister of State for Fisheries, Professor S.P. Singh Baghel at the airport, and was also accorded a Static Guard of Honor reception.
During his official visit to India, PM Luxon met with several key Indian ministers to strengthen bilateral relations and discuss areas of cooperation. Luxon held discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu on a wide range of bilateral issues, including trade, defence cooperation, and regional security. He met with India’s External Affairs Minister, Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, to discuss enhancing diplomatic and strategic relations between the two nations, as well as to lay the groundwork for the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations.
India and New Zealand agreed to commence detailed negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) – aiming to conclude it by the end of this year. This initiative seeks to enhance market access and supply chain integration, with bilateral trade expected to surpass the current value of 1.7 billion USD for the financial year of 2023-2024. PM Modi expressed his appreciation of the new mutually beneficial FTA that is aimed at boosting the potential of trade and investment and encourage cooperation in dairy, food processing, and pharmaceuticals.
On meeting India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on Defence Cooperation between the Ministry of Defence of India and the New Zealand Ministry of Defence. This agreement aims to enhance defence relations through joint military training, exercises, and port visits- thereby reinforcing the commitment to regional security. PM Modi said, “Our navies are working together in Combined Task Force-150 for maritime security in the Indian Ocean.” The two countries already have an agreement for exchanging information on white shipping, and India is part of Command Task Force-150, a multi-national unit headed by New Zealand, which protects trade routes and secures the Indian Ocean from piracy and terror.
The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs of India (CBIC) and the New Zealand Customs Service signed the Authorized Economic Operator Mutual Recognition Agreement. This agreement aims to facilitate trade by recognising the supply chain security standards of both countries, streamlining customs procedures, and enhancing economic cooperation.
A Memorandum of Cooperation on Horticulture was established between India’s Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries, which is expected to enhance agricultural practices and trade in horticultural products. Along with this, a Letter of Intent on Forestry was signed between India’s Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change and New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries, focusing on sustainable forest management and related initiatives.
In order to promote educational exchanges, an Education Cooperation Agreement was signed between India’s Ministry of Education and New Zealand’s Ministry of Education. Similarly, a Memorandum of Cooperation in Sports was established between India’s Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports and Sport New Zealand to enhance sports development and cooperation. More than 156,000 Indian tourists visited New Zealand, and 72,000 New Zealand nationals travelled to India last year. Seeing the potential in this sector, the two sides agreed to begin direct flights.
A significant outcome of this meeting was launching negotiations on an arrangement that would facilitate the mobility of professionals and skilled workers, aiming to streamline processes and promote workforce exchange.
When it comes to regional initiatives, New Zealand has decided to join the Indo-Pacific Oceans’ Initiative (IPOI) and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) to address regional challenges and promote sustainable development.
In conclusion, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s meetings with key Indian ministers during his March 2025 visit to India marked a pivotal moment in strengthening the bilateral ties between New Zealand and India. The ongoing negotiations for an FTA further underscore the potential for increased economic collaboration. Ultimately, these meetings have laid a strong foundation for a long-lasting and mutually beneficial relationship, poised to contribute to regional stability, economic growth, and shared global initiatives.
