NEW DELHI (PTI): Indian Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar paid a three-day visit to New Zealand during which both sides inked an agreement on the exchange of white shipping information.

The Indian Navy on Sunday last said Admiral Kumar's visit to New Zealand from September 29 to October 1 has set in motion a "promising growth trajectory" for deeper bilateral maritime engagements.

The Navy chief held detailed deliberations with Rear Admiral David Proctor, Chief of the Royal New Zealand Navy, and the discussions covered a wide spectrum of maritime cooperation opportunities.

The Indian Navy said both sides exhibited enthusiasm toward expanding the scale and scope of bilateral engagements in the coming years.

"In a milestone development, an agreement on White Shipping Information Exchange was signed during this visit," it said in a statement.

"Closer collaboration towards enhancing shared maritime domain awareness is in keeping with convergent views of both countries with regard to promoting greater transparency in the maritime domain," it added.

The agreement will facilitate the exchange of information on the movement of merchant ships.

"The visit to New Zealand further consolidated shared commitments of both navies and has set in motion a promising growth trajectory for deeper bilateral maritime engagements," the Navy said.

Admiral Kumar was also provided with a comprehensive tour of the maritime museum of New Zealand that showcases the country's rich maritime heritage.

"The Chief of Naval Staff, accompanied by Bhav Dhillon, Honorary Consul of India at Auckland, also availed the opportunity to meet Indian veterans and community leaders in Auckland," the Navy said.