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Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh
and Prime Minister of New Zealand John Key at the joint press
conference, in New Delhi on June 28, 2011. |
New Delhi: Pushing
for an early free trade area (FTA) agreement, India and New
Zealand, home to some of the most exotic landscapes, Tuesday
signed a pact for the joint production of films and launched an
ambitious education initiative that will spur collaboration in
high-end research.
New Zealand declared support for India's membership in a reformed
Security Council as the two countries decided to jointly combat
piracy and expand defence cooperation. New Zealand announced its
decision to post a defence adviser in India soon.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh held delegation-level talks with his
New Zealand counterpart John Key on a wide range of issues,
including the intensification of ties in the economic, energy,
environment and agriculture-related technologies sectors.
New Zealand, a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, also assured
India that the new guidelines tightening the export of enrichment
and reprocessing technologies will not affect the clean waiver
given by the NSG to New Delhi in September 2008.
"Both sides share the vision of a nuclear weapon free world. New
Zealand welcomes increased engagement between India and the
multilateral export control regimes," a joint statement said at
the end of the talks.
The two leaders decide to accelerate negotiations for an FTA that
has the potential to more than double the current $1.3 billion
bilateral trade to $3 billion by 2015.
"The Prime Minister and I reviewed the status of our negotiations
on the bilateral Free Trade Agreement. These are proceeding well
and in the right direction," Manmohan Singh said at a joint press
appearance with his Kiwi counterpart.
"Our partnership is growing and that is the reason we are very
keen for the progress in the FTA We hope it will be concluded by
2012," Key said while interacting with top Indian industrialists
earlier in the day.
Manmohan Singh underlined that New Zealand had proven strengths in
the dairy, agriculture, food processing and renewable energy
sectors and pitched for greater cooperation in these areas.
A joint education initiative was among the highlights of the talks
between the two leaders.
This jointly-funded initiative, worth NZ $1 million annually
(around Rs 3.6 crores), will promote partnerships in two key
streams - higher education and research and skills and vocational
education.
The initiative will focus on areas such as academic and student
exchanges, joint research activities, and industry collaborations,
said the joint statement. Nearly 12,000 Indian students study in
New Zealand, contributing around $1 billion to the economy of the
host country.
Two pacts on audio-visual co-productions and a protocol for
cooperation on science and innovation were signed after the talks.
This agreement on co-audio-visual production will allow both sides
to encourage industry level cooperation, share creative talent,
and support the vibrant film industry in both countries. More than
100 Indian films have been shot in picturesque locales in New
Zealand.
In a gesture that underlines the importance of Bollywood to
bilateral ties, Key will be visiting Film City in Mumbai
Wednesday.
Pointing to New Zealand's influence in the Asia Pacific region,
Manmohan Singh called for cooperation in combating piracy and
joint efforts to ensure the safety of sea lanes of communications.
India also urged New Zealand to transfer its state-of-the-art
technology and increase investment in the country's agro-food
processing industry, which offers investment opportunity of over
$200 billion.
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