Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Shri Piyush Goyal interacts with prominent New Zealand business leaders

 

Commemorating the historic visit of Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal, to New Zealand—accompanied by the largest-ever Indian business delegation—the India–New Zealand Business Forum was organized by the Auckland Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with the High Commission of India, Wellington.

The forum brought together senior government officials, leading industry representatives, and key business stakeholders from both countries to showcase the depth of India–New Zealand economic relations and to explore new avenues for partnership and collaboration.

A key highlight of the event was a fireside chat between Shri Piyush Goyal and Mr. Todd McClay, Minister of Trade, New Zealand. The interaction reaffirmed the strong commitment of both nations’ leadership to enhance their economic engagement and underlined the importance of the ongoing Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations in shaping a stronger, mutually beneficial economic partnership. The discussions built on the renewed momentum in bilateral relations following the meeting between Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Rt. Christopher Luxon, Prime Minister of New Zealand, in India in March 2025, where both leaders agreed to pursue a comprehensive and forward-looking trade agreement.

During his visit to Auckland and Rotorua, Shri Goyal interacted with several prominent New Zealand business leaders, including Ms. Carmen Vicelich, CEO of Valocity; Mr. Ranjay Sikka, CEO of Slumberzone; Mr. Nathan Guy, Chairman of the Meat Industry Association; and Mr. Tony Clifford, Managing Director, Pan Pac. The interactions reflected the growing interest in expanding cooperation with India across diverse sectors such as agriculture, tourism, technology, education, sports, gaming, and drone technology. Given India’s significant advancements in the space sector, including its recent lunar missions, space collaboration was identified as a promising area for future engagement.

At Rotorua, Shri Goyal addressed a CEO Roundtable attended by members of the Indian business delegation and CEOs from leading New Zealand enterprises. He reiterated the significance of the FTA as a symbol of bilateral friendship, trust, and strategic partnership, while highlighting India’s attractiveness as a global investment destination offering vast opportunities for value addition and innovation.

The Minister, along with Mr. Todd McClay, also engaged with members of the Indian diaspora in both Auckland and Rotorua. In Auckland, Rt. Christopher Luxon, Prime Minister of New Zealand, joined them in addressing the Indian community. He emphasized the vital role of the Indian diaspora as a “living bridge” between India and New Zealand, echoing the sentiments expressed by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. Shri Goyal encouraged members of the diaspora to continue contributing to the growth and development of New Zealand—their Karm-Bhoomi—while staying deeply connected to their roots in India, and to take on leadership roles in strengthening communities in both countries.

The Indian business delegation held a series of interactions with key New Zealand enterprises to explore synergies and potential collaborations. Site visits to Red Stag—New Zealand’s largest sawmill—Fonterra Co-operative Group’s Dairy and Food Innovation Headquarters, and the Auckland University Innovation Hub facilitated productive discussions on trade and investment opportunities across sectors.

The visit underscored New Zealand’s emerging position as a strategic partner in India’s growth journey and reaffirmed India’s commitment to deepening bilateral economic linkages and fostering long-term cooperation with New Zealand.

India-New Zealand trade: ministers and business leaders advance FTA talks and sectoral cooperation to boost investment and market access. Ongoing Free Trade Agreement negotiations were presented as the principal mechanism to deepen India-New Zealand economic engagement, with ministerial reaffirmation of political commitment and industry participation aimed at expanding market access, investment, and cooperation across sectors such as agriculture, dairy, forestry, tourism, education, technology, gaming, drones, and space, supported by CEO roundtables, site visits, and diaspora engagement to catalyse trade and investment linkages.