Your Excellency, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon,
Delegates from both countries,
Namaskaar!
Kia Ora!
I express my heartfelt gratitude to my friend, Prime Minister Luxon, for the warm welcome and gracious hospitality extended to me and my delegation. He has extended such a warm welcome that even Auckland's winter feels a little less cold today. The affection and warmth that I have received from the people of New Zealand during this visit will always remain in our hearts.
Prime Minister Luxon's visit to India last year infused new energy into every aspect of our bilateral relationship. Under his leadership, clear vision and strong commitment, the friendship between India and New Zealand has gained fresh momentum and a new direction. Today marks the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to New Zealand in forty years. As I often say, many good tasks have been left behind for me by those who came before me, and I have the privilege of completing them. Friends, this marks the beginning of a new chapter in our bilateral relationship.
Friends,
India and New Zealand's firm belief in democratic values provides us with a natural foundation to move forward together. Over the past few years, we have imparted unprecedented momentum to our bilateral relationship.
In today's meeting, we held detailed discussions on giving greater depth and breadth to our cooperation. We have taken the historic decision to elevate India-New Zealand relations to the level of a Strategic Partnership. Under this framework, we will move forward across every sector with clear goals and tangible outcomes.
This year, we concluded a Free Trade Agreement in record time. This achievement will open new opportunities for the industries, farmers and youth of both countries. Along with trade, we are also preparing a blueprint for trust, technology and talent.
Over the past three years, our bilateral trade has grown by more than 50 per cent. We are confident that the Free Trade Agreement will provide a strong foundation for doubling our trade over the next five years.
We also warmly welcome New Zealand's investment commitment of US$20 billion in India. This will provide New Zealand companies with the opportunity to become long-term partners in India's growth story.
Friends,
To make our Strategic Partnership meaningful, we are transforming the strengths of both countries into practical cooperation. In the field of FinTech, we are moving forward towards connecting India’s UPI with New Zealand’s payment systems.
In agriculture, dairy, and food processing, we have developed a strong roadmap for cooperation. This will benefit our farmers and livestock owners.
Both New Zealand and India have rich and vibrant traditions in traditional medicine. Today, we agreed to enhance the role of traditional medicines in our healthcare cooperation.
Our growing cooperation in defence and security is a reflection of our deep strategic trust. The Defence Cooperation Agreement signed last year has created a strong framework for our collaboration. Today, we agreed on a framework for maritime cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. Bilateral naval exercises, logistics support, and cooperation in hydrography will further strengthen our coordination and interoperability.
Friends,
The strongest pillar of our relationship is our people-to-people ties. Members of the Indian community have earned a special place in New Zealand through their hard work and talent. I express my gratitude to Prime Minister Luxon, the Government of New Zealand, and the people of New Zealand for taking care of them.
The Cultural Cooperation MoU signed today will give further momentum to exchanges between our two countries in the fields of art, culture, heritage, and creative industries. New Zealand has been an important destination for Indian students. We invite New Zealand universities to open campuses in India.
This year, we are celebrating the centenary of sporting relations between our two countries. A hundred years ago, the hockey team led by Major Dhyan Chand came here and created history, and that legacy continues to inspire our sporting partnership even today.
To mark this occasion, we are organising several sporting events in both countries. Along with cricket, we are also working to enhance cooperation in other sports through the Sports Joint Action Plan. The recent coaching programme between New Zealand Rugby and Rugby India in Bhubaneswar has been a promising beginning in this direction.
Friends,
On the global stage as well, India and New Zealand are trusted partners and close friends. We believe that reforms in global institutions, including the United Nations, are essential to address the challenges of the present times.
To move forward shoulder to shoulder in the fight against terrorism, we have established a Joint Working Group today. Cooperation between India and New Zealand is extremely important for peace, stability, and security in the Indo-Pacific region.
Friends,
I extend my heartfelt greetings to all of you on the occasion of the Māori New Year, “Matariki.” The constellation that is known here as “Matariki,” as you also mentioned, has been known in India since ancient times as the “Krittika Nakshatra.” I am confident that this festival of “Matariki” will inspire our relationship to shine brightly like these stars.
Prime Minister Luxon,
I express my gratitude for your friendship, your commitment, and for making my visit to New Zealand a memorable one. Just as teamwork and trust are essential in rugby, we too will move forward with mutual confidence. We are on the same team, and therefore, we will tackle only the challenges.
Thank you very much.
