Wellington hosts India-New Zealand talks on Strategic Partnership Roadmap 2030.
NZ’s Richard Schmidt (L) with India’s Amitabh Prasad.
India-New Zealand Defence Dialogue: The second edition of the Defence Strategic Dialogue between India and New Zealand took place in Wellington. The high-level talks brought together senior defense officials from both countries to review and expand their bilateral security relationship.
The meeting was co-chaired by Amitabh Prasad, Joint Secretary from the Indian Ministry of Defence, and Richard Schmidt, Deputy Secretary from the New Zealand Ministry of Defence. These discussions followed up on the shared framework established during a summit-level meeting held the previous month, serving to put the newly elevated Strategic Partnership into action.
Core Focus Areas and Regional Security
A primary objective of the dialogue was to implement the targets outlined in the India-New Zealand Strategic Partnership Roadmap 2030. Both nations used the platform to reaffirm their shared commitment to maintaining a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.
To achieve this, the delegations reviewed several options for expanding military-to-military engagement. Key areas under consideration include:
Conducting joint training exercises across maritime, air, and land units
Implementing cross-service personnel exchanges
Establishing defence staff college partnerships
2nd India-New Zealand Defence Dialogue held in Wellington New Zealand.
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High-Level Meetings and Future Cooperation
In addition to the main dialogue sessions, the Indian delegation met with senior leadership within the New Zealand Defence Force and Ministry of Defence. Discussions involved the Vice Chief of Defence Force, the Commander Joint Forces New Zealand, and the Deputy Secretary Capability Delivery.
These meetings aimed to accelerate joint capital procurement insights, align operational frameworks, and ensure coordination for upcoming engagements. The dialogue concluded with an agreement to maintain momentum through regular high-level and ministerial-level exchanges, aiming to solidify security coordination as a core pillar of the bilateral relationship.
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