India and New Zealand held the second edition of their Defence Strategic Dialogue in Wellington on August 24, focusing on strengthening maritime security, expanding joint military training and deepening overall defence cooperation.
The high-level dialogue was co-chaired by Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Defence Amitabh Prasad and New Zealand Ministry of Defence Deputy Secretary Richard Schmidt.
The talks followed the summit-level meeting held last month and focused on implementing the strategic objectives outlined in the India-New Zealand Strategic Partnership Roadmap 2030, as the two countries work to advance their newly elevated Strategic Partnership.
During the discussions, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific. The delegations explored ways to expand military-to-military engagement through joint training exercises, cross-service personnel exchanges and partnerships between defence staff colleges.
The proposed cooperation will cover maritime, air and land forces, with the two sides looking to strengthen operational coordination and interoperability.
Alongside the strategic dialogue, the Indian delegation held meetings with senior leaders of the New Zealand Defence Force and Ministry of Defence. Discussions were held with the Vice Chief of Defence Force, Commander Joint Forces New Zealand and Deputy Secretary Capability Delivery.
The meetings focused on enhancing cooperation in areas including capital procurement, aligning operational frameworks and ensuring coordination for upcoming bilateral defence engagements.
India and New Zealand also agreed to maintain the momentum through regular high-level and ministerial-level exchanges.
