Kuala Lumpur [Malaysia], October 27 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday met with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit 2025 in Malaysia.

Taking to X, Jaishankar said, 'A pleasure meeting PM @chrisluxonmp of New Zealand on sidelines of #ASEAN2025 meetings. Extended warm greetings from PM @narendramodi.'

https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1982681296502665472

He added, 'Welcome his commitment to advance our bilateral cooperation and nurture a free and open Indo-Pacific.'

Both Jaishankar and Luxon are in Malaysia to attend the EAS alongside the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries and partners. As part of the EAS this year, there will be commemorations for 50 years of ASEAN-New Zealand relations. New Zealand will also finalise a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with ASEAN itself.

India and New Zealand continued to strengthen their bilateral engagement across multiple fronts, including trade and economic cooperation.

The meeting between Jaishankar and Luxon followed the recent progress made in the third round of negotiations for the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which concluded successfully on September 19 in Queenstown.

The discussions reaffirmed the shared commitment of both nations to deepen economic ties and work towards the early conclusion of a balanced and mutually beneficial agreement.

Guided by the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon of New Zealand, the negotiations reflected a common resolve to expand bilateral trade, investment, and economic cooperation, the Commerce and Industry Ministry said in a release.

The FTA was formally launched on March 16, 2025, during a meeting between Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and New Zealand's Minister for Trade and Investment Todd McClay.

The third round, held from September 15 to 19, witnessed constructive discussions across all areas of the agreement. Several chapters were concluded, and significant progress was achieved in other key domains.

India's bilateral merchandise trade with New Zealand stood at USD 1.3 billion in FY 2024-25, registering a growth of nearly 49 per cent over the previous year.

The proposed FTA was expected to further boost trade flows, promote investment linkages, strengthen supply chain resilience, and create a predictable framework for businesses in both countries.

Both sides maintained momentum through inter-sessional engagements, with the fourth round of in-person negotiations held in New Delhi on October 13-14. (ANI)