Indian Navy chief’s visit underscores evolving maritime partnership

Chief of the Naval Staff India, Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, and his delegation have conducted an official visit to New Zealand this week as military ties between the countries grow.

14 September, 2026

Admiral Swaminathan met with Chief of Navy Rear Admiral Garin Golding at Devonport Naval Base in Auckland on Monday, receiving a Guard of Honour and a welcome onto the Navy’s marae, Te Taua Moana, followed by presentations and discussions at the Maritime Warfare Training Centre.

At the entrance to Devonport, Admiral Swaminathan and his party visited the turret of HMNZS Achilles, a Second World War light cruiser that was renamed INS Delhi when it was sold to India in 1948. India donated the turret back to New Zealand in 1980.

His visit follows growing momentum in India-New Zealand defence ties.

In 2025, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi signed the India-New Zealand Memorandum of Understanding for Defence Cooperation.

In the same year, the Indian Navy held the deputy commander position for the New Zealand-led Combined Task Force 150 drug interdiction operations in the Indian Ocean.

New Zealand's Chief of Navy, Rear Admiral Garin Golding (right) greets Chief of the Naval Staff India, Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, at Devonport Naval Base.

Admiral Swaminathan speaks at the Royal New Zealand Navy marae, Te Taua Moana.

Admiral Swaminathan inspects the Guard of Honour on Gambia Square, Devonport Naval Base.

In February, the first resident Defence Advisor to India commenced his posting in Delhi, and in July Prime Minister Modi visited New Zealand, signing three maritime-focused Memorandums of Understanding.

These were a Maritime Cooperation Agreement, proposing areas of cooperation between the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) and Indian Armed Services; a Memorandum of Understanding of Cooperation in the Field of Hydrography and an Indian Navy – NZDF Logistics Support Arrangement.

Rear Admiral Golding says the growing defence relationship with India is based on history, common values and shared interests.

“Today it is the Navy-to-Navy relationship that is most developed, with ship visits to New Zealand, a successful partnership in Combined Task Force 150, HMNZS Te Kaha’s visit to Mumbai last year, and the arrival of our first resident Defence Adviser, Commodore Andy Dowling, in Delhi.

“We value highly our relationship with India. We both have an interest in a free, open and secure Indo-Pacific region, and look forward to working together more often in the coming years.”