Auckland, Nov. 6 -- India is one of the most consequential countries on the planet and soon to be the third biggest economy in the world, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said on Wednesday during a visit by Union commerce minister Piyush Goyal to review progress of the free trade negotiations between the two countries. New Zealand and India are "complementary economies" and "we can actually benefit from each other" by finding areas where we have commonality," Luxon added, underscoring India's strategic position in maintaining a democratic and rules-based global order. "India is one of the most consequential countries on the planet, and it's becoming the third biggest economy in the world. It has a huge defence responsibility as well, to make sure, there's peace and civility" he said while addressing media after an event in which he, Goyal and New Zealand trade minister Todd McClay addressed the Indian community. In a social media post on X, Goyal thanked Luxon for his comments, and said: "It was a pleasure to meet you Prime Minister @ChrisLuxonMP. India deeply values its growing partnership with New Zealand. The ongoing India-New Zealand FTA negotiations will pave the way for expanding trade, investment, and innovation linkages. We are energised by our shared resolve to take this partnership to new heights." Luxon also referred to the trade deal in a subsequent post on social media. "India is a country of huge importance to New Zealand's prosperity, security, and society. We're working hard on a New Zealand-India free trade agreement that would create massive opportunities for Kiwi businesses in the Indian market. I joined Trade Ministers McClay and Goyal in Auckland tonight as we continue that work." At the event, Goyal spoke about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for deepening the India-New Zealand partnership and how a fair and balanced FTA can unlock new opportunities and benefit people on both sides. He also highlighted the remarkable contributions of the Indian diaspora, who continue to play a pivotal role in advancing economic and cultural ties between the two nations. Earlier, Goyal held a fireside chat along with his counterpart McClay, at the India-New Zealand Business Forum. "With the largest delegation ever to visit New Zealand from India, I spoke about the huge convergence in thinking and commitment on both sides. Elaborated on how New Zealand stands to benefit from the large market that India offers and how India stands to gain from the new innovations here," he said in another post on X. Officials said talks have achieved significant convergence in several areas. The two countries are currently holding the fourth round of negotiations that will conclude on November 7....