LOC00:05
21:05 GMT
NEW DELHI, Aug 5 (KUNA) -- India and New Zealand on Tuesday agreed to deepen security and defense cooperation after holding the inaugural India-New Zealand Defense Strategic Dialogue in New Delhi.
The Indian Ministry of Defense said that both the sides discussed security perspectives and ways to further bolster bilateral cooperation.
"Both nations expressed satisfaction at the ongoing defence cooperation and identified means to enhance the existing areas of collaboration, especially in the fields of training, capability building, defence industry, maritime security and multinational cooperation," the statement said.
Indian and New Zealand teams discussed ways to build up ongoing White Shipping Information Exchange towards enhancement of information sharing.
The Strategic Dialogue was constituted under an MoU signed between the two countries in March 2025.
India and New Zealand have a wide range of cooperation in the political, defence and security collaboration, capacity building and education.
"These developments reflect mutual trust, shared democratic values, the deep-rooted people-to-people ties and a mutual love for cricket that binds both nations," the statement said.
Joint Secretary (International Cooperation) of Indian Ministry of Defence Amitabh Prasad and Head of International Branch at the Ministry of Defence of New Zealand Kathleen Pearce co-chaired the meeting.
Kathleen Pearce called on Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth and Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh in New Delhi as part of her visit. (end)
atk.mb