India and NZ push maritime security as Jaishankar meets Peters in Manila

Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters met on the sidelines of ASEAN meetings in Manila, where they discussed Indo-Pacific security and ways to boost maritime cooperation.

The meeting builds on the recently signed India-New Zealand Strategic Partnership: Roadmap to 2030, unveiled during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to New Zealand in July. The roadmap places heavy emphasis on maritime security, counter-terrorism, and cyber defence.

Jaishankar described the conversation as ‘useful’ in a post on X, adding that the two leaders shared perspectives on the Indo-Pacific security situation and discussed enhancing maritime cooperation.

Under the roadmap, both nations will establish an annual Maritime Security Dialogue, conduct bilateral naval exercises, and operationalise a Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism. They have also signed a Maritime Cooperation Arrangement and mutual logistics support agreements focused on the maritime domain.

The meeting signals a deepening of defence ties between the two nations, with New Zealand nominating maritime security as its priority pillar under the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative.

Article and image source: newzealandstar.com