New Zealand and India formalize defence maritime cooperation

Prime Ministers Christopher Luxon and Narendra Modi agreed on 11 July to elevate India–New Zealand relations to a "strategic partnership" and established a Maritime Cooperation Arrangement between their defence forces. The arrangement formalizes an operational relationship that previously existed on an ad hoc basis, anchoring New Zealand's Indo-Pacific security strategy as part of a broader "Roadmap to 2030" targeting doubled bilateral trade.