External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met with New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters on Friday during the ASEAN meetings in Vientiane, Laos. Jaishankar expressed his pleasure at the meeting, stating on X, “Always enjoy meeting DPM & FM @winstonpeters of New Zealand. Discussed education, agriculture technology, Pacific Islands & cricket.”
Previously, on July 20, Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a congratulatory call from New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon regarding Modi’s third electoral victory. Both leaders affirmed their commitment to enhancing bilateral cooperation. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, “Noting that India-New Zealand ties are anchored in shared democratic values and close people-to-people ties, both leaders reiterated their firm commitment to take bilateral cooperation to new heights in the years to come.”
Prime Minister Modi thanked Prime Minister Luxon for supporting the Indian community in New Zealand. The MEA release stated, “Highlighting the momentum generated by recent high-level contacts between the two sides, they agreed to advance mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation in various areas, including trade and economic cooperation, animal husbandry, pharmaceuticals, education, and space, among others.” The release added, “Prime Minister Modi thanked Prime Minister Luxon for looking after the interests of the Indian diaspora in New Zealand. Prime Minister Luxon assured of continued efforts towards their security and well-being.”
The ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Vientiane reviewed and discussed progress on various initiatives. This year, Laos holds the chairmanship of ASEAN under the theme “ASEAN: Enhancing Connectivity and Resilience.”