**Summary:**
On August 5, 2025, New Delhi hosted the inaugural India-New Zealand Defence Strategic Dialogue. The dialogue, co-chaired by Shri Amitabh Prasad, Joint Secretary International Cooperation, Ministry of Defence, India, and Ms. Kathleen Pearce, Head of International Branch, Ministry of Defence, New Zealand, focused on enhancing bilateral defence cooperation and addressing shared security perspectives. Both nations expressed satisfaction with current cooperation levels and explored opportunities for expansion in areas such as training, capability building, defence industry collaboration, maritime security, and multinational cooperation. Emerging areas of cooperation and issues related to global commons were also discussed. India commended New Zealand for its command of CTF150, which included the participation of Indian Navy personnel. Enhancements to the White Shipping Information Exchange were explored to improve information sharing. The dialogue was established under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in March 2025. Ms. Pearce also met with Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Sanjay Seth and Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh on August 4, 2025. The dialogue signifies a strengthening of defence relations, building on existing political, security, and educational cooperation, and high-level visits that have occurred in recent years.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Defence: The government ministry responsible for defence.
IndiaNew Zealand Defence Strategic Dialogue: A bilateral dialogue between India and New Zealand focusing on defence strategy and cooperation.
New Delhi: The location of the IndiaNew Zealand Defence Strategic Dialogue; the capital of India.
Amitabh Prasad: Joint Secretary International Cooperation, Ministry of Defence, India; Co-chair of the IndiaNew Zealand Defence Strategic Dialogue.
Kathleen Pearce: Head of International Branch, Ministry of Defence, New Zealand; Co-chair of the IndiaNew Zealand Defence Strategic Dialogue.
CTF150: Combined Task Force 150, a multinational naval partnership to promote maritime security.
Indian Navy: The naval branch of the Indian Armed Forces.
Sanjay Seth: Raksha Rajya Mantri (Minister of State for Defence) of India.
Ministry of Defence
Inaugural India-New Zealand Defence Strategic
Dialogue held in New Delhi
Posted On: 05 AUG 2025 10:04PM by PIB Delhi
The inaugural edition of India-New Zealand Defence Strategic Dialogue was held in New Delhi on August
05, 2025 to discuss security perspectives and further bolster bilateral cooperation. The meeting was co-chaired
by Joint Secretary (International Cooperation), Ministry of Defence, India Shri Amitabh Prasad and Head of
International Branch, Ministry of Defence, New Zealand Ms Kathleen Pearce.
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 co-chairs also articulated steps in the direction of
emerging areas of cooperation and issues pertaining to global commons.
The Indian side complimented New Zealand for its successful command of CTF-150 in which five Indian
Navy personnel were also deputed as staff. Both sides also discussed ways to build up ongoing White
Shipping Information Exchange towards enhancement of information sharing.
India-New Zealand Defence Strategic Dialogue was constituted under an MoU signed between the two
countries in March 2025, a significant milestone in intensifying defence relations.
India and New Zealand engagements span a wide spectrum of cooperation – 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
bilateral ties gained momentum with the visit of the President of India to New Zealand in August 2024, and
bilateral meeting between the Prime Ministers in March 2025.
As part of the official visit to India, Ms Kathleen Pearce also called on Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Sanjay Seth
and Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh in New Delhi on August 04, 2025.
****
VK/SR/Savvy
(Release ID: 2152813)