India, New Zealand favour free trade agreement
NEW DELHI: India on Tuesday resolved to diversify its ties with New Zealand in non-traditional areas such as defence. At a meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his New Zealand counterpart John Key, both sides also expressed themselves in favour of a free trade agreement (FTA) and signed protocols in film production, higher education and research to strengthen people-to-people interaction. New Zealand, along with India and Australia, belongs to the second rung of observers in the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean). They are striving to get on a par with the first group of Observers — China, South Korea and Japan — in terms of intensity of contact with the Asean. Of these 15 nations (10 Asean members and five regional Observers), observers feel India needs to focus on the Philippines and New Zealand in developing greater trade and security linkages. With respect to the former, Mr. Key hoped FTA negotiations would be completed by next year. India already...