New NZDF appointment underscores growing defence relationship with India

New Zealand’s first-ever Defence Adviser to reside in India says the new role reflects New Zealand’s desire to strengthen relationships with a country putting defence and security at the top of its agenda.

20 January, 2026

Commodore Andy Dowling, who is finishing up as Defence Adviser Australia, will head to India with his wife Claire later this month to take up the appointment at the New Zealand High Commission in New Delhi.

While New Zealand has had Defence Advisers accredited to India in the past, they have been resident elsewhere. Commodore Dowling will be New Zealand’s first Defence Adviser to be based in New Delhi and the first to undertake the role full time.

His posting comes on the back of significant engagement last year between both countries, notably Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s visit to India in March to pursue bilateral agreements in a wide range of fields.

The visit involved the signing of the India-New Zealand Memorandum of Understanding for Defence Cooperation, aimed at strengthening bilateral defence cooperation and establishing regular bilateral defence engagement.

At the same time, frigate HMNZS Te Kaha, deployed to Command Task Force (CTF) 150 to pursue drug traffickers in the Western Indian Ocean, visited Mumbai.

New Zealand led CTF 150 in 2025, with India as second-in-command, and used Te Kaha, Indian Navy and other assets to seize seven tonnes of narcotics between April and June.

Commodore Dowling says a strong relationship with India needs to consider defence and security.

“These are their most important considerations. The neighbourhood they live in is quite a tough one.”

Commodore Dowling is familiar with India. The New Zealand Defence Adviser to Australia has historically been “cross-accredited” to India and he’s already visited India four times in the last year.

India is the third-largest economy in the world and has an enormous military, including a 1.3 million-strong army and a naval fleet of 250 vessels.

A man in Navy uniform, a white short-arm shirt with rank slides looks at the camera. He has a short beard and is wearing glasses. In the background hangs the RNZN ensign.

Military personnel in full combat attire each hold their countries flag while on a ship at sea.

Sailors on a ship at sea, their backs to the camera, hold their hands in the air as they perform a haka to a grey military ship in the background.

Commodore Andy Dowling (left), boarding teams from Indian Navy frigate INS Tarkash and New Zealand frigate HMNZS Te Kaha (middle) and personnel from HMNZS Te Kaha deliver a farewell haka to INS Tarkash (right).

Until about 10 years ago they were more domestically than externally focused, Commodore Dowling said.

“Domestic security was their worry.”

However, this changed when India’s 1991 ‘Look East’ policy evolved to ‘Act East’ in 2014. It was a push towards strategic partnerships in defence, connectivity and cultural exchanges with an aim to promote a free and stable Indo-Pacific region.

Last year, India participated for the first time in Exercise Talisman Sabre in Australia, alongside 19 nations.

“We’re seeing the ‘Act East’ with the Indian Navy in particular,” Commodore Dowling said.

“They’re deploying out of the Indian Ocean, exercising with other countries and visiting New Zealand and Australia. They’re getting out and about and that’s only going to increase in the coming years.

“By having a Defence Adviser in India, it will allow us to understand their system better to identify and explore opportunities for our two nations to work together.

“The New Zealand Defence Force had a busy year last year with India – Te Kaha visiting, CTF 150, the first Ministry of Defence to Ministry of Defence talks – but we need our interactions with them to be sustainable.

“We’re not going to turn up with a frigate every week. But I’ll soon be in a place to have the dialogue and spot opportunities.”

He said India had real respect for New Zealand.

“They regard us very highly and see us as the ‘honest broker’ in the world. Their Navy does a lot of things very similarly to us, like flying operations, refuelling at sea, and they are very professional, efficient and good to work with.”

There would likely be opportunities to collaborate and share expertise, Commodore Dowling said.

“They have P-8 aircraft like us, they operate the MH-60 helicopter which we’re getting, and they have the C-130J Hercules. Their hydrographer training is similar, they operate a sea training group very like our Maritime Training Group. So, they have structures and capabilities that we recognise.”

The New Delhi appointment will be a three-year posting.

“I was asked midway through last year, is this something Claire and I would like to do? We saw it as a great opportunity and adventure. It’s not often you get to set up something from scratch. It’s a real privilege we’re eager to grasp with both hands.”