India and New Zealand have significantly expanded their strategic engagement in recent years, with the signing of a Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA), growing military exchanges, customs cooperation and collaboration in science, agriculture and mobility, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.
A major milestone came during New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s visit to India in March 2025, when both countries signed a Defence Cooperation Agreement, formalising defence engagement that has traditionally included military exchanges, ship visits and interactions between senior defence officials.
The partnership has witnessed a series of high-level exchanges. Chief of the Royal New Zealand Navy Rear Admiral David Proctor visited India in February 2024, while Vice Chief of the New Zealand Defence Force Air Vice-Marshal Tony Davies travelled to India in November 2023 for discussions on strengthening defence cooperation. Earlier, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R. Hari Kumar visited New Zealand in 2022.
Naval cooperation has also gained momentum. In 2023, Indian Naval Ships INS Sahyadri and INS Kolkata made port calls in Wellington and Auckland, while INSV Tarini, on its global circumnavigation voyage with two women naval officers, visited Lyttelton Harbour between December 2024 and January 2025.
Military exchanges have extended beyond senior leadership. A 14-member National Defence College delegation visited New Zealand in 2023, while 10 New Zealand cadets and two guardians participated in India’s Republic Day Camp the same year under the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav initiative.
Cooperation has also expanded in customs and border management. In August 2024, both countries signed a Customs Cooperative Arrangement to strengthen trade facilitation and enhance collaboration against transnational organised crime. This was followed by the signing of an Authorised Economic Operator-Mutual Recognition Agreement (AEO-MRA) between the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) and the New Zealand Customs Service in March 2025.
According to the Ministry, both countries have also announced negotiations on a Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement, aimed at facilitating greater movement of people.
Beyond security, India and New Zealand continue to cooperate in agriculture, science and technology. Recent engagements include food safety consultations, plant protection audits, dairy and sheep farming collaboration, and scientific exchanges.
The Ministry said cooperation in science and innovation has continued through joint programmes, including participation by Indian scientists in Antarctic research expeditions and engagements in digital governance, while space cooperation received a boost with an ISRO delegation’s visit to New Zealand in 2024.
