Manila, Philippines, July 22 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Wednesday said he held a “useful conversation” with New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters on the sidelines of the ASEAN meetings in Manila, where the two leaders exchanged views on the Indo-Pacific security situation and discussed ways to strengthen maritime cooperation.
In a post on X, Jaishankar said he met Peters in the Philippine capital during the ASEAN-related engagements.
“A useful conversation with FM @winstonpeters of New Zealand @ASEAN #Manila.”
“Shared perspectives on the Indo-Pacific security situation and discussed enhancing our maritime cooperation,” he added.
During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to New Zealand from July 10-11, following the formal elevation of bilateral ties to a Strategic Partnership, India and New Zealand unveiled the comprehensive “India-New Zealand Strategic Partnership: Roadmap to 2030,” establishing a framework to significantly deepen defense and security cooperation over the next four years.
The roadmap, endorsed during the meeting between Modi and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in Auckland, places strong emphasis on maritime security, counterterrorism, and cyber defense under its Pillar II framework.
The joint statement also highlighted cooperation under Combined Task Force 150 (CTF-150) in 2025, with New Zealand serving as commander and India as deputy commander, supporting efforts to combat narcotics smuggling, terrorism, and illicit maritime activity in the Middle East and the western Indian Ocean.
As part of the expanded security partnership, both countries agreed to establish an annual Maritime Security Dialogue led by India’s Ministry of External Affairs and New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The two countries also agreed to operationalize the Memorandum of Arrangement establishing a Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism while strengthening cooperation through the India-New Zealand Cyber Dialogue.
The joint statement further noted that India welcomed New Zealand’s nomination of Maritime Security as its priority pillar under the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative. Both countries also agreed to establish an annual Maritime Security Dialogue to strengthen cooperation, coordination, and information sharing.
In addition, the two sides will implement the recently concluded Maritime Cooperation Arrangement, an Implementing Arrangement on Cooperation in Matters of Hydrography and Nautical Cartography, and a Mutual Logistics Support Arrangement focused on the maritime domain.
Under these agreements, India and New Zealand will conduct regular naval activities, including bilateral naval exercises, to enhance maritime cooperation and interoperability. (ANI)
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