Indian Navy chief Admiral Krishna Swaminathan met his New Zealand counterpart, Rear Admiral Garin Golding, in Auckland on September 14, 2026. Akashvani reported that their discussions covered stronger operational engagement, maritime information exchange and a first bilateral naval exercise planned for 2027. The exercise was a future proposal discussed during the visit, not an exercise conducted that September.
The New Zealand Defence Force placed the meeting at Devonport Naval Base. Swaminathan received a guard of honour and a welcome at the naval marae, Te Taua Moana, before presentations and discussions at the Maritime Warfare Training Centre. His delegation also visited the preserved turret of HMNZS Achilles, the cruiser sold to India in 1948 and renamed INS Delhi.
NZDF's account identified several recent arrangements behind the visit. A defence-cooperation memorandum had been signed in 2025. During Modi's July 2026 visit to New Zealand, the countries signed three further maritime instruments: a maritime cooperation agreement, a hydrography memorandum and a logistics support arrangement between the Indian Navy and NZDF.
The defence force also cited operational and staffing links. India held the deputy commander position in the New Zealand-led Combined Task Force 150 during drug-interdiction operations in the Indian Ocean in 2025. New Zealand's first resident defence adviser to India began the Delhi posting in February 2026. Golding highlighted HMNZS Te Kaha's previous visit to Mumbai as another part of the naval relationship.
The New Zealand stop followed Swaminathan's Australian engagements. Akashvani reported that he met Australian Chief of the Defence Force Admiral Mark Hammond in Canberra to discuss implementation of the Maritime Security Collaboration Roadmap and further maritime cooperation. Across the two stops, the reported agenda combined a proposed bilateral exercise with existing agreements, professional exchanges and previous operational cooperation.
