India, New Zealand Unlock New Chapter In Defence Ties, Strategic Dialogue Gains Momentum In New Delhi
On August 4, Union Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth hosted Kathleen Pearce, head of the International Branch at New Zealand's Ministry of Defence, in New Delhi. The two sides reiterated their shared commitment to scaling up collaboration in defence and other sectors.
'Ms Kathleen Pearce, Head of International Branch, Ministry of Defence, New Zealand and Mr Patrick John Rata, NZ high commissioner, called on Raksha Rajya Mantri @SethSanjayMP today. The meeting reaffirmed strong defence ties & commitment to deepen cooperation across key strategic domains,' the Ministry of Defence posted on X.
Ms Kathleen Pearce, Head of International Branch, Ministry of Defence, New Zealand and Mr Patrick John Rata, NZ High Commissioner called on Raksha Rajya Mantri @SethSanjayMP today. The meeting reaffirmed strong defence ties & commitment to deepen cooperation across key strategic… pic.twitter.com/VkCcNlVkwZ — Ministry of Defence, Government of India (@SpokespersonMoD) August 4, 2025
Later that day, India's Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh also met Pearce and Rata. The discussions culminated in the formal launch of a new strategic defence dialogue between the two nations.
'Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh met Ms Kathleen Pearce, Head of International Branch, Ministry of Defence, New Zealand and NZ High Commissioner Mr Patrick John Rata in New Delhi today. Both sides welcomed the launch of strategic dialogue & agreed to deepen #defenceties,' the MoD said in another post.
Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh met Ms Kathleen Pearce, Head of International Branch, Ministry of Defence, New Zealand and NZ High Commissioner Mr Patrick John Rata in New Delhi today. Both sides welcomed the launch of strategic dialogue & agreed to deepen #defenceties.… pic.twitter.com/Q5gFrFFFCw — Ministry of Defence, Government of India (@SpokespersonMoD) August 4, 2025
These high-level meetings follow the recent completion of the second round of negotiations for the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which wrapped up in New Delhi on July 25. The talks covered wide-ranging issues, from trade in goods and services to investment, rules of origin, customs processes, technical barriers and sanitary measures.
According to the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, both delegations expressed strong interest in reaching early convergence on several points and reiterated their aim to finalise a balanced and future-ready trade agreement.
The Ministry of External Affairs highlighted that India and New Zealand have long shared close and friendly relations. Their common ground includes a shared Commonwealth legacy, similar legal systems and democratic governance structures. Both countries also aim to promote economic growth and inclusive prosperity across diverse societies, an alignment that now extends to strategic cooperation.
With defence ties being actively upgraded and economic negotiations progressing in tandem, the India-New Zealand partnership is entering a more mature and multifaceted phase.
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