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India and New Zealand are set to deepen naval cooperation, with the two countries planning their first bilateral naval exercise in 2027 as New Delhi and Wellington seek to build stronger operational linkages and maritime information-sharing mechanisms in the Indo-Pacific.
The proposed exercise was discussed during Indian Navy Chief Admiral Krishna Swaminathan’s visit to New Zealand, where he held substantive talks with Royal New Zealand Navy Chief Rear Admiral Garin Golding. The engagement followed the Navy Chief’s visit to Australia, underlining the Indian Navy’s continuing focus on strengthening maritime partnerships with key Indo-Pacific countries.
The discussions centred on translating the India–New Zealand Maritime Security Cooperation Arrangement into greater operational engagement between the two navies. The two Chiefs also explored ways to improve maritime information exchange, an increasingly important element of maritime domain awareness in the wider Indo-Pacific.
The planned 2027 exercise will provide the two navies with their first dedicated bilateral platform for developing interoperability and operational familiarity. While both countries have participated in multilateral maritime engagements, a bilateral exercise would give greater scope for focused cooperation between their forces.
The emerging naval engagement assumes significance as India and New Zealand look to expand their maritime security cooperation amid a rapidly evolving Indo-Pacific security environment. For India, closer naval ties with New Zealand complement its broader effort to build a network of maritime partnerships across the region.
Admiral Swaminathan’s visit began with a traditional Māori Pōwhiri welcome at Te Taua Moana Marae at HMNZS Philomel, Devonport Naval Base, Auckland, followed by a ceremonial Guard of Honour by the Royal New Zealand Navy.
The visit also brought into focus a shared naval history. The historic 6-inch turret of HMNZS Achilles, which subsequently served in the Indian Navy as INS Delhi, remains a tangible link between the two navies.
The latest engagement signals a shift towards more practical and operationally oriented India–New Zealand maritime cooperation, with the proposed exercise and enhanced information exchange providing concrete mechanisms for closer naval coordination.
The Indian Navy said the engagement reflected the two countries’ commitment to strengthening maritime cooperation and advancing operational linkages. It is also in line with India’s MAHASAGAR vision and its wider effort to build stronger maritime partnerships in the Indo-Pacific.
Team Bharatshakti
