Auckland, July 11 (IANS). Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday invited New Zealand investors and business houses to partner with India in infrastructure development, civil aviation, logistics, clean energy, urban mobility, water management, waste management and digital economy sectors.
Lauding India’s vibrant startup ecosystem, PM Modi called for closer engagement between the private sectors of the two countries in the field of innovation, fintech and emerging technologies.
Addressing a select group of CEOs and business leaders, PM Modi said New Zealand’s strength in dairy science, horticulture and forestry and India’s consumer markets, food parks and agri-tech talent should come together to create a global food value chain.
The Prime Minister promoted business to increase investment and commercial partnerships and help meet the target of doubling bilateral trade to NZ$7 billion (about Rs 35,000 crore) by 2030.
PM Modi stressed that the India-New Zealand economic partnership can become a model for inclusive and sustainable trade and a platform for innovation and prosperity.
In the presence of New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon at the event, PM Modi said India and New Zealand are bound by shared democratic values, respect for the rule of law, diversity and a common commitment to sustainable development, which lays a strong foundation for a large and forward-thinking economic partnership.
He described the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement as a landmark deal that will deepen and accelerate the economic ties between the two countries and open new opportunities for market access, investment, services, technology and talent mobility.
According to an official statement, PM Modi also emphasized that India’s continued rapid growth, young and skilled workforce, growing middle class, digital revolution, emphasis on next-generation infrastructure and ongoing economic reforms provide huge opportunities for New Zealand companies for trade, investment and innovation.
After this, PM Modi wrote on the social media platform
In another post, he wrote that the areas specifically discussed in the conversation with PM Lakson included trade, technology and investment linkages. We have also created a strong framework for cooperation in agriculture, dairy and food processing. It is important to give equal emphasis on health facilities and traditional medicine. Our growing cooperation in defense and security reflects the deep strategic trust between our two countries. This is something that we will pursue further.
–IANS
KK/AS