Auckland, July 11 (IANS). Prime Minister Narendra Modi met New Zealand’s Leader of Opposition Chris Hipkins on Saturday. The PM said that during this period, discussions were held on many important issues including trade, technology and increasing people-to-people ties.
In an ex-post, PM Modi wrote, “Today met New Zealand’s Leader of the Opposition Chris Hipkins. In the conversation, important aspects of our strategic partnership were discussed, including trade, technology and people-to-people ties. The strong bipartisan support for our relationship remains one of its key strengths.
Chris Hipkins is the leader of the Labor Party of New Zealand and MP for the Remutaka constituency.
The two leaders held wide-ranging discussions on a wide range of issues including trade and people-to-people ties. During this, the commitment to further strengthen bilateral relations between India and New Zealand was reiterated.
Prime Minister Modi has earlier also stressed on promoting comprehensive cooperation in relations with New Zealand. Trade, technology, education, culture and people-to-people contacts are considered important links in the relations between the two countries.
PM Modi held a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in Auckland, New Zealand on Friday. In this, 18 major decisions and 10 agreements (MOUs) were signed. Both leaders aimed to double bilateral trade by 2030.
Both countries gave their relationship the status of strategic partnership. During this, PM Modi said, “A Free Trade Agreement (FTA) has been signed between India and New Zealand in a record 9 months this year. New Zealand will invest ₹ 1.72 lakh crore ($20 billion) in India in the next 15 years. It will also help in the goal of ‘Developed India 2047’.”
–IANS
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