AUCKLAND: New Zealand and India announced Saturday the creation of a strategic partnership encompassing defense and security, during a landmark visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon feted his guest with an indigenous Maori welcome and a guard of honor, seeking to expand relations after signing a free-trade pact in April that he has touted as an economic boon.
Modi’s visit, at the tail end of a July 6-11 tour that has also taken him to Indonesia and Australia, came in the aftermath of China test-firing a ballistic missile into the Pacific Ocean on Monday, stirring unease in the region.
It was the first visit to New Zealand by an Indian prime minister in 40 years, a sign of Delhi’s deeper engagement at a time of strengthened Chinese diplomatic and military presence in the Pacific.
Modi described the strategic partnership as a “milestone” that would inspire greater energy and confidence, as he was hosted by the New Zealand leader for discussions at Government House in Auckland.
