NEW DELHI: New Zealand and India share a commitment to do more together to meet security challenges in the Indo-Pacific and both sides want the region to be characterised by respect for the rule of law and peaceful resolution of disputes, New Zealand’s foreign minister Winston Peters said on Wednesday.
Peters and his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar agreed during their meeting on Tuesday to work together to unlock more opportunities and enhance the bilateral relationship, he said as he wound up his four-day visit to India. Peters travelled to New Delhi and Gujarat to take forward ties in areas ranging from security to trade.
New Zealand’s coalition government has given priority to enhancing relations with India to generate future benefits for both sides. “It is clear that New Zealand and India share common strategic perspectives about the security challenges our Indo-Pacific region faces as well as a commitment to do more together to meet them,” Peters said.
“New Zealand and India are two countries that can, should and will be doing more together,” he said, adding that his visit demonstrated a joint commitment to investing more in building a broad-based, mutually beneficial relationship.
Referring to his meeting with Jaishankar, Peters said they agreed to work together to unlock more opportunities and to achieve a “step-up in the relationship”, including further high-level political visits in both directions during 2024.
{{/usCountry}}Referring to his meeting with Jaishankar, Peters said they agreed to work together to unlock more opportunities and to achieve a “step-up in the relationship”, including further high-level political visits in both directions during 2024.
{{/usCountry}}In New Delhi and Gujarat, Peters’ discussions on trade and economic ties focused on areas such as education, agro-technology, air connectivity and tourism, and the potential that can be tapped through an enhanced economic partnership.
During the visit, an enhanced air services agreement between the two countries came into force, making code-sharing on services between India and New Zealand easier. “While it is ultimately a commercial decision for our national carriers, we are confident that direct flights between New Zealand and India are within sight in the next couple of years,” Peters said.
Besides Jaishankar, Peters also met Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. Peters said his discussions with Indian leaders encompassed the strategic security and defence relationship, trade and economic cooperation, efforts to combat climate change, and social and cultural links.
New Zealand and India are democracies working with like-minded partners such as Australia and Japan to ensure an Indo-Pacific characterised by respect for the rule of law, freedom of navigation and peaceful resolution of disputes, he said.
“These shared principles lie at the heart of New Zealand’s push for an enhanced bilateral relationship with India, as well as deeper cooperation across the Indo-Pacific region - including with Pacific Island countries,” he added.
India’s importance to New Zealand’s society, economy and security is also growing. The Indian diaspora in New Zealand numbers 300,000 and India is New Zealand’s second-largest source of international students and largest source of skilled migrants.
Peters also participated in an event alongside representatives of Pacific Island countries and the Indian government and businesses to explore how New Zealand and India can work together on economic connectivity with the Pacific. “New Zealand and India both have deep historical, cultural and commercial ties into the Pacific Islands region - and we need to be doing more together there,” he said.