New Zealand forces build interoperability, uphold stability across Indo-Pacific

FORUM Staff

A three-month New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) deployment is supporting maritime security, disaster response and sanctions monitoring from the South Pacific to Northeast Asia, highlighting the nation’s commitment to upholding Indo-Pacific stability and international norms.

NZDF personnel and assets, including a maritime patrol aircraft and naval vessels with embarked helicopters, are conducting missions and drills with Allies and Partners across the region through October 2026.

The Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) frigate HMNZS Te Mana, which participated in the United States Pacific Forces-hosted Rim of the Pacific exercise in mid-2026, is monitoring United Nations sanctions targeting North Korea’s illicit weapons of mass destruction programs. The measures limit or prohibit trade relating to weapons and military equipment, dual-use technologies, industrial machinery, rare-earth minerals, and fossil fuel products.

New Zealand is one of a dozen or so nations that contribute aircraft, ships and personnel to the Enforcement Coordination Cell based at Yokosuka, Japan. The coalition is a component of the U.S.-led Pacific Security Maritime Exchange, which formed in 2018 to monitor compliance with U.N. resolutions.

The sustainment vessel HMNZS Aotearoa will support the Te Mana and partner nation vessels.

During the deployment, the RNZN task group also is set for port calls in Australia, Japan, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and the Republic of Korea (ROK), and will conduct a maritime cooperative activity with the 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

NZDF personnel were among more than 6,000 troops conducting field training and tactical synchronization during Super Garuda Shield 2026, Indonesia’s largest multinational military exercise, which concluded September 11.

Also in September, a Royal New Zealand Air Force P-8A Poseidon aircraft and personnel will participate in Exercise Bersama Lima in Singapore, alongside the other member forces of the Five Power Defence Arrangements — Australia, Malaysia, Singapore and the United Kingdom.

Amid increasing security challenges, New Zealand is expanding cooperation with Allies and Partners, including:

• Australia — The nations’ armies, which first served together during World War I, renewed their Plan ANZAC in July 2026 to support bilateral training, deployments and operations.
• Japan — An acquisition and cross-servicing agreement that took effect in August 2026 will “facilitate the smooth and prompt provision of supplies and services” between the Japan Self-Defense Forces and the NZDF. The nations, which will mark 75 years of diplomatic relations in 2027, also have an information security pact.
• ROK — In mid-2026, a New Zealand Army infantry platoon completed a three-month deployment to South Korea, training alongside ROK and U.S. forces under the U.N. Command. It was the Army’s second such deployment to the Korean Peninsula.

The NZDF’s Indo-Pacific deployment began two months after Wellington approved two-year extensions for five long-running missions, including the U.N. Command in the ROK, and peacekeeping and maritime security operations in the Middle East.

“For years, New Zealand has worked with our partners to contribute to international peace and security efforts,” Foreign Minister Winston Peters stated. “As the global security situation continues to deteriorate, we are committed to continuing our longstanding efforts to promote stability in our region and beyond because New Zealand’s prosperity relies on our success.”