After using his India trip to tout the importance of security, Christopher Luxon has spent his last day in Mumbai facing questions about defence job cuts at home.
The prime minister hit back at criticisms of his coalition's investment in defence as he stood aboard HMNZS Te Kaha, docked in Mumbai, overnight Thursday NZT.
Earlier in the day, Luxon also met India's rear admiral and toured one of its navy vessels. As well, he attended a cricketing panel and hit a few balls at Wankhede Stadium.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon speaks to media on navy ship HMNZS Te Kaha in India on 20 March 2025. Photo: Photo / Marika Khabazi
He is now winging his way back to New Zealand on the Defence Force 757, after declaring his four days on the ground a great success.
Speaking to reporters, Luxon said the proposed job cuts were an "operational decision" for defence.
"To be clear, it's up to the military forces to determine the best deployment of their resources, as it is for every government agency.
"If they think there's...a better way of delivering the results they want to deliver, it's up to them."
Christopher Luxon on board Te Kaha in India. Photo: Photo / Marika Khabazi
Luxon rejected any suggestion the restructure was driven by inadequate investment.
"We've put more money in at the last Budget, and we're planning to step up our commitment yet again in the coming Budget as well."
New Zealand currently spends about one percent of its GDP on defence.
But the coalition has signalled a significant boost to be revealed in its long-delayed Defence Capability Plan due in the next few weeks.
Defence has been a key strand of Luxon's trip to India, featuring in his talks with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi and his keynote speech at the Raisina Dialogue in Delhi.
The Public Service Association on Thursday revealed plans for a Defence Force restructure intended to reduce the civilian workforce by about 370 roles.
Christopher Luxon says inadequate investment is not behind the job cuts. Photo: Photo / Marika Khabazi
A Defence Force spokesperson said the overall headcount would drop by only about 80 given the number of positions already vacant and the new ones being created.
But Labour defence spokesperson Peeni Henare said there was no doubt the job would be made harder for those in uniform.
"It's really a reflection of the much-vaunted talk that National gives with respect to defence, but simultaneously they seem to be stripping it to its bare bones."
Luxon rejected that: "I'd just say we increased defence spending last Budget and we've got a new Budget coming."
The prime minister is due back in New Zealand in the early hours of Saturday.
Vital roles being cut, retired senior officer says
A retired Lieutenant Colonel says cutting hundreds of civilian roles in the Defence Force will further stretch uniformed officers.
Hayden Ricketts, co-director of Mission Homefront, told Morning Report the civilian roles were not just back-office staff.
"These are engineering roles, these are Defence Force maintainers, these people do inventory management. And we're not talking about socks and blankets here - when we're talking about inventory management, this is things like weapons, sensors, complicated radio systems," he said.
"The defence uniformed staff can't do their roles without the support of these civilian experts at the back end of the Defence Force."
Ricketts said uniformed staff were having to do the work of three or four people's roles, on pay that did not cover the bills.
The Defence Force hasn't been funded at a level that it could maintain its core functions for a decade, and the latest cuts came at a time of international upheaval.
"We've just seen the US withdrawing from security guarantees in NATO and in Europe. We've seen increased, or we've seen a resumption of violence in Gaza, the Prime Minister and Minister of Defence are talking about deploying peacekeepers to a possible mission in Ukraine, and closer to home, we've seen Chinese warships in the Tasman Sea."
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters is in the United States and has met with his counterpart, Marco Rubio, and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has been visiting India.
"Against that, we're making defence cuts, and the whole thing just seems to be a little bit at odds with what the situation is now compared to what it was six months ago," Ricketts said.
The Defence Force turned down a request to appear on Morning Report on Friday.
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