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A delegation from India visited New Zealand from April 26 to April 27 to work on ways to deepen existing bilateral relations.
According to a release from the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, these meetings had focused discussions on several key areas aimed at promoting bilateral trade and cooperation, marking an important moment in strengthening economic ties and fostering collaboration between the two nations, building upon the existing close ties through people to people and business contacts. The delegation was led by the Commerce Secretary, Sunil Barthwal. It was the 11th Joint Trade Committee meeting between the two countries. The release further highlights, key areas of focus were progress on market access issues, economic cooperation projects, and the exploration of new initiatives. The establishment of robust bilateral economic dialogue architecture and the creation of working groups on sectors such as Agriculture, Food Processing, Storage & Transportation, Forestry, and Pharmaceuticals were also discussed. The release reads "the meetings addressed bilateral trade matters of mutual interest, including issues related to market access, non-tariff barriers (NTBs), and sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures on products like grapes, okra and mangoes, Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) in Organic products, simplified homologation including through mutual recognition of comparable domestic standards for vehicles, etc". The services sector emerged as a focal point during the discussions, with a strong emphasis on increasing business-to-business and people-to-people contacts. Collaboration in areas such as hospitality, nursing, tele-medicine, education, and air connectivity was highlighted, along with efforts to address skill gaps through capacity building. Furthermore, discussions delved into collaboration in the pharmaceuticals and medical devices sector, with a focus on fast-tracking regulatory processes and quality assessment of manufacturing facilities. Opportunities for collaboration in digital trade, cross-border payment systems, and engagement within platforms such as G20 and Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) were also explored. Both India and New Zealand reaffirmed their commitment to upholding the principles of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and agreed to hold regular meetings at all levels to address issues and explore collaborative activities. Overall, the visit underscored the shared commitment of both nations to deepen their bilateral relations through continuous dialogue and cooperation. (ANI)
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