Auckland [New Zealand], July 11 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (local time) said the growing defence and security cooperation between India and New Zealand reflects the 'deep strategic trust' between the two countries, as the two sides agreed to strengthen maritime cooperation, institutionalise defence engagement and expand collaboration on counter-terrorism and transnational crime.

Addressing the Gala Lunch hosted in his honour by New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in Auckland, PM Modi said the defence partnership had entered a new phase with agreements aimed at enhancing cooperation across the Indo-Pacific.

'Our growing cooperation in defence and security is a symbol of our deep strategic trust. With the Defence Cooperation Agreement signed last year, a strong structure for our cooperation has been established. Today, we have reached an agreement on a framework for maritime cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. Mutual coordination between us will increase through bilateral naval exercises, logistics support, and cooperation in hydrography,' PM Modi said.

According to the India-New Zealand Joint Statement, the two Prime Ministers welcomed progress in implementing the 2025 Memorandum of Understanding on Defence Cooperation and agreed to institutionalise regular structured engagement between their Defence Ministries and armed services.

The leaders also welcomed cooperation under Combined Task Force 150 (CTF-150) in 2025, where New Zealand served as Commander and India as Deputy Commander, supporting international efforts to deter narcotics smuggling, terrorism and other illicit maritime activities in the Middle East and the Western Indian Ocean.

Recognising their shared interests as maritime nations committed to a free, open, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific, the two sides concluded a Maritime Cooperation Arrangement (MCA), an Implementing Arrangement on Cooperation in Matters of Hydrography and Nautical Cartography, and a Mutual Logistics Support Arrangement focused on the maritime domain. They also welcomed bilateral naval exercises under the MCA.

The Joint Statement said India welcomed New Zealand's nomination of Maritime Security as its priority pillar under the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative, while both countries agreed to establish an annual Maritime Security Dialogue to strengthen cooperation, coordination and information sharing.

The two leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to deepen collaboration on counter-terrorism, cyber security and other emerging security challenges through bilateral, regional and multilateral mechanisms.

In addition, India and New Zealand agreed to strengthen practical law enforcement cooperation to combat transnational organised crime, including illicit drug trafficking, financial crime, cyber-enabled crime, terrorism-related offences, people smuggling and trafficking in persons. They also agreed to work towards the early formalisation of counter-narcotics and broader law enforcement cooperation arrangements between their respective agencies.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a two-day official visit to New Zealand from July 10-11 at the invitation of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. The visit, the first by an Indian Prime Minister to New Zealand in four decades, saw the two countries elevate bilateral ties to a Strategic Partnership and adopt a Roadmap to 2030 to deepen cooperation across defence, trade, technology, security and people-to-people ties. (ANI)