External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar on Monday met New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on the sidelines of the ASEAN and East Asia Summits in Malaysia’s capital, Kuala Lumpur. Both leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to ensuring a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific region.
EAM Jaishankar, who is representing Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 20th East Asia Summit, conveyed warm greetings from the Indian Prime Minister to Luxon.
Following the meeting, Jaishankar wrote on X (formerly Twitter):
“A pleasure meeting PM Christopher Luxon of New Zealand on the sidelines of ASEAN 2025 meetings. Extended warm greetings from PM Narendra Modi. Welcome his commitment to advance our bilateral cooperation and nurture a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), India and New Zealand have historically enjoyed close and friendly relations rooted in common democratic values and growing economic and strategic interests.
Luxon had earlier visited India in March 2025, accompanied by a high-level business delegation. During that visit, both countries agreed to commence negotiations on a Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and discussed ways to strengthen economic and maritime cooperation.
He also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, where the two leaders reviewed regional developments in the Indo-Pacific and emphasized deeper collaboration in defence, trade, and technology.
In a joint statement issued at that time, both sides reiterated the importance of collective efforts to combat terrorism, urging all nations to take concrete action against UN-proscribed terrorist organizations.
New Zealand has also joined two India-led global initiatives — the Indo-Pacific Oceans’ Initiative (IPOI) and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) — marking a significant step toward closer cooperation on regional and global challenges.
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