External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Monday met New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, where both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral ties and ensuring a secure and stable Indo-Pacific region.
EAM Jaishankar, who is representing Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 20th East Asia Summit in Kuala Lumpur, shared details of the meeting on X. “A pleasure meeting PM Christopher Luxon of New Zealand on the sidelines of ASEAN 2025 meetings. Extended warm greetings from PM Narendra Modi. Welcome his commitment to advance our bilateral cooperation and nurture a free and open Indo-Pacific,” he posted.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), India and New Zealand have historically shared close and friendly relations. The two countries continue to deepen cooperation in trade, defence, and regional security.
Prime Minister Luxon had visited India in March this year, accompanied by a high-level business delegation. During his visit, both sides agreed to begin negotiations on a Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and explore greater economic opportunities. He also met Prime Minister Modi and discussed enhancing cooperation in defence and maritime domains, along with maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
In a joint statement, both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening ties across multiple sectors and called on all countries to take decisive action against terrorist organisations proscribed by the United Nations.
New Zealand also joined two India-led global initiatives — the Indo-Pacific Oceans’ Initiative (IPOI) and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) — reflecting shared priorities in promoting regional cooperation and sustainable development.
-IANS