Defence Areas

Two Indian naval warships (INS Mumbai, a missile destroyer, and INS Jyoti, a tanker) visited Wellington from October 9-12, 2001. Admiral Madhvendra Singh paid an official visit to New Zealand from 17-19 November 2002 during which he held extensive exchange of views with the New Zealand defence authorities on matters of mutual interest. Indian Naval ship ‘Tabar’ visited Auckland from 2-6 July 2006. Vice Admiral Sureesh Mehta, then Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Naval Command also visited New Zealand from 2-7 July 2006 and held discussions with Chiefs of Army, Air Force and Navy in Wellington, on matters of mutual interest. HMNZS Te Mana and Endeavour visited Port Blair in the Andaman Islands in May 2007 and participated in exercises with Indian Navy. A group from the New Zealand Command and Staff College visited India on a study tour from November 4-13, 2009. The Chief of the New Zealand Defence Forces, Lt. Gen. J. Mateparae visited India in November, 2009. The Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Nirmal Verma visited New Zealand from October 31 to November 5, 2010. A 26 member delegation from the College of Defence Management visited New Zealand from October 31 to November 6, 2010. Mr. Wayne Mapp, Minister for Defence, Science and Innovation and Associate Minister for Economic Development and Tertiary Education, visited India in April 2011. A delegation from National Defence College visited New Zealand from May 22-27, 2011. New Zealand has appointed its Defence Adviser to India, with base at Wellington.