From Lalit K Jha

Washington

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today met his New Zealand counterpart John Key here during which they discussed bilateral co-operation in trade, technology and tourism.

“Discussing stronger India-New Zealand ties with @johnkeypm,” tweeted the Prime Minister’s Office.

Modi, who arrived here in the wee hours today to attend the two-day Nuclear Security Summit which is being hosted by US President Barack Obama, started his diplomatic engagement with the meeting with Prime Minister Key.

The ongoing T-20 World Cup Cricket tournament did figured in the talks of the leaders of the two cricket-crazy nation.

The Indian team was batting in Mumbai against West Indies on the T20 World Cup Semi-finals when Key met Modi at his hotel here on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit.

Incidentally New Zealand handed India a shock defeat at the start of the T-20 tournament.

“Not just cricket on the agenda” as prime ministers Modi and Key had their first meeting, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted.

“Lots on the agenda,” he said in another tweet. The two leaders discussed co-operation in trade, technology, tourism and education.

The conversation between the two leaders began with cricket with Key congratulating Modi on successfully hosting the World T-20 championship, Swarup told reporters after the meeting.

Key alluded to the large Indian community in New Zealand and said they are doing very well. New Zealand is hosting a large number of Indian students.

In fact, he said, because of his government’s decision to permit students to work 20 hours a week, many more foreign students are coming to his country than in the past.

“Prime Minister said he would like more Indian students to study in New Zealand. He said that Indian students living in New Zealand feel very at home. They feel safe and secure.

In this context he encouraged the New Zealand Government to take more proactive and aggressive campaign in Indian universities to attract more India students, just as Australia and Singapore have done,” Swarup said.

During the meeting, Key informed that New Zealand had a few years ago concluded a successful free trade agreement and he was very keen on signing a FTA with India as well.

“Of course he recognised that this was a prospect for a long term,” the Indian diplomat said.

Modi talked about India’s interest in dairy technology, in which New Zealand is considered to be a pioneer.

“Prime Minister said that India is one of the largest producers of milk, but when it comes to processing milk, we are not so good. So New Zealand could find a very good market in India, particularly now that the food processing sector has been enabled to obtain 100 percent FDI,” he said.

Key told the Prime Minister that Bollywood has done a lot to promote tourism in New Zealand. As a result, a lot many Indians are now coming to New Zealand for tourism. In fact, he told Modi that recently he met Shah Rukh Khan.

Prime Minister said Bollywood has certainly contributed to packaging New Zealand as a tourist destination.

“In this context, both leaders underscored the need to have a direct flight between India and New Zealand. Currently, Singapore Airlines is providing third country service to New Zealand, but there are no direct flights between India and New Zealand,” Swarup said.

PTI