By Admin 
Giving a new height to their relations, India and New Zealand have officially given the status of ‘Strategic Partnership’ to the bilateral relations. Both countries have also approved ‘India-New Zealand Strategic Partnership: Roadmap 2030’. Under this, cooperation will be increased in many areas like trade, agriculture, security, innovation and people-to-people contacts in the next four years. This big decision was taken during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to New Zealand. The special thing is that this is the first official visit of an Indian Prime Minister to New Zealand after 40 years.
India-New Zealand relations get status of strategic partnership
According to a joint statement issued by India and New Zealand, both the Prime Ministers agreed to elevate bilateral relations to ‘Strategic Partnership’. Along with this, ‘India-New Zealand Strategic Partnership: Roadmap 2030’ was approved, which will become the basis of joint cooperation between the two countries in the next four years. Both leaders said that the objective of this partnership is to further strengthen existing cooperation, work together in new areas and increase cooperation in bilateral as well as multilateral fora.
Indian Prime Minister’s visit to New Zealand after 40 years
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on an official visit to New Zealand on July 10 and 11 at the invitation of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. This is the first official visit of an Indian Prime Minister to New Zealand in the last 40 years, which is being considered historic in the relations between the two countries.
Target to double trade by 2030
Under ‘Roadmap 2030’, India and New Zealand have set a target of increasing bilateral trade in goods and services between the two countries to 7 billion New Zealand dollars (about Rs 35 thousand crore) by the year 2030. For this, both the countries will work together on reducing trade barriers, increasing investment and strengthening economic cooperation.
Agreed on implementing free trade agreement soon
Both Prime Ministers welcomed the signing of the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and agreed to implement it soon. The joint statement said that this agreement will reduce trade barriers, strengthen economic partnership and will play an important role in increasing investment from New Zealand to India.
New Zealand will cooperate in ‘Developed India 2047’
New Zealand said that it will cooperate in achieving India’s ‘Developed India 2047’ goal. Under this, both the countries will work together in trade, agriculture, skill development, innovation, clean energy, sports and other areas.
Custom and trade process will be easier
Both countries also agreed to implement the Authorized Economic Operators Mutual Recognition Arrangement (AEO-MRA) by 2025 to simplify customs procedures. It will work under the Customs Cooperation Arrangement of 2024 and promote reliable trade.
Direct flights and tourism will get a boost
India and New Zealand also signed a Memorandum of Arrangement regarding tourism cooperation. Both the leaders urged airlines to take steps towards starting direct non-stop flights between India and New Zealand. Both the countries agreed to increase cooperation in areas like horticulture, forestry, animal husbandry and dairy. Under this, New Zealand will work on productivity schemes to increase the production of kiwi, apple and honey in India. Apart from this, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoC) was also agreed to establish Kiwi Center of Excellence in India and cooperation in animal husbandry and dairy sector.
Cooperation will be strengthened in maritime sector also
The two leaders also agreed to continue dialogue between India’s Directorate General of Shipping and Maritime New Zealand to strengthen mutual recognition of seafarers’ skill certificates. Both countries believe that this will ease the movement of sailors and will give new strength to cooperation in the maritime sector.