India-New Zealand: Bilateral Brief

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High Commission of India
Wellington

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INDIA – NEW ZEALAND BILATERAL BRIEF

  1. India and New Zealand (NZ) have historically shared close and cordial ties. Similarities such as membership of the Commonwealth, common law practices and pursuing shared aspirations of achieving economic development and prosperity through democratic governance systems for diverse communities in both countries (NZ prides itself as one of the most ethnically diverse countries in the world with 213 ethnicities officially recorded) provide an excellent backdrop for deepening the friendly ties. Tourism and sporting links, particularly in cricket, hockey and mountaineering, have also played a significant role in fostering goodwill between the two countries. Both countries share commitment to human rights, global peace, rules based international order, ecological preservation and combating terrorism. People-to-people contacts have flourished since migration from India began around 1860s. NZ has approximately 3,00,000 persons of Indian origin & NRIs, a vast majority of which has made NZ their permanent home. Currently, there are approximately 8,000 Indian students in NZ, pursuing higher education in various disciplines such as information technology, hospitality, science, engineering, and architecture.

  1. Both countries share a long-standing connection, both gaining independence in the same year. Despite geographical distances, there's a strong bond through a large Indian diaspora. Diplomatic relations began in 1950 with a Trade Commission, later upgraded to a High Commission in 1952. Today, both countries enjoy growing ties driven by shared strategic interests and economic mutual benefits. They collaborate in trade, education, and culture, overcoming geographic barriers to build a prosperous partnership. Their relationship has evolved positively from friendly beginnings to a robust alliance based on mutual respect and shared goals.

  1. HoS/HoG Past Visits: India and New Zealand have shared significant high-level visits over the years, which have strengthened the bilateral relations. In 1968, Prime Minister of India, Smt. Indira Gandhi, visited New Zealand, contributing to the of diplomatic ties between the two nations. In 1986, Prime Minister of India, Shri Rajiv Gandhi, visited New Zealand, further advancing the dialogue and cooperation between the two countries. In 2016, President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, conducted a state visit to New Zealand from 30 April to 2 May and in August 2024, President of India Smt. Droupadi Murmu paid a state visit to New Zealand. New Zealand has seen several high-level visits to India, including Prime Minister John Key's state visit from 25 to 27 October 2016. Other notable visits include Prime Minister John Key's visit in June 2011, Governor General Sir Anand Satyanand's visits in January 2011, October 2010, and September 2008, and Prime Minister Helen Clark's visit in October 2004.

  1. NZ identified India as a priority country in its “Opening Doors to India” policy notified in October 2011, which was reiterated in 2015. In 2011, NZ launched the NZ Inc. India Strategy, aiming to make India a core trade, economic and political partner for NZ. On the eve of the visit of DPM / Foreign Minister of NZ to India from 25-28 February 2020, NZ released the Strategy Paper “India-NZ 2025 – Investing in the Relationship”, which builds on earlier policy papers and envisions a more “enduring strategic relationship” with India over the next five years. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters, during his visit to India in March 2024, emphasised the importance of strengthening New Zealand's ties with India. He highlighted India's growing significance to New Zealand, noting the large Indian diaspora, educational connections, and economic partnerships. 

  1. Cooperation on Covid-19 pandemic: The then Foreign Minister & DPM of NZ Winston Peters had a telephonic conversation with Indian EAM on 16 April 2020 on the pandemic. EAM assured DPM of all possible assistance in repatriation of Kiwis stranded in India and also assured NZ of all feasible efforts to supply pharmaceuticals. Under the VBM, 11 Air India and an equal number of private chartered flights repatriated almost 4000 Indians from NZ and about 3000 Kiwis from India. India also provided critical drugs like hydroxychloroquine, paracetamol as well as azithromycin to New Zealand to aid the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. 

RECENT BILATERAL VISITS AND HIGH-LEVEL MEETINGS

HOS/HOG VISITS / MEETINGS:

  1. Visit of President of India to NZ: The then President of India Smt Droupadi Murmu paid a State visit to NZ from 7 to 9 August 2024. She had meetings with Governor General Dame Cindy Kiro, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters and discussed various bilateral issues. Custom Cooperation Agreement was signed between the two countries and the NZ side handed over the instrument of ratification of International Solar Alliance. Hon’ble President also delivered a keynote address at the International Education Conference in Wellington and attended a community event in Auckland where she announced opening of Consulate in Auckland. 

  1. PM Jacinda Ardern and PM Shri Narendra Modi had a bilateral meeting in New York on the side lines of UNGA on 25 September 2019. Earlier in the day, PM Ardern gave a keynote speech at the event titled “Leadership matters: Relevance of Mahatma Gandhi in the contemporary world”, underlining the three Gandhian values of tolerance, equality and sanctity of non-violence as most relevant to the contemporary world. 

  1. Visit of NZ Prime Minister John Key to India:  The then NZ PM Sir John Key paid a state visit to India from 25-27 October 2016 accompanied by a large business delegation.  The two sides signed agreements on food safety and on cooperation in the field of youth affairs and sports and finalized amendment to the Treaty on Avoidance of Double Taxation. In addition, it was decided to establish a ministerial dialogue, annual Foreign Ministry consultations and a dialogue on cyber security. 

  2. Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi met NZ’s Prime Minister Mr. Chris Hipkins during the side-lines of FIPIC-III summit (22-24 May 2023) in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea and discussed various bilateral issues.

OTHER HIGH-LEVEL VISITS / MEETINGS:

  1. On 25 July 2024, CIM Piyush Goyal met NZ Trade Minister, Todd McClay in Delhi, and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral trade and economic ties. Building on discussions from the G7 Trade Ministers' meeting in Italy, they focused on advancing cooperation across multiple sectors. Both ministers highlighted the significant efforts of their respective Ministries to promote a robust and mutually beneficial relationship, aiming for outcomes that will enhance the economic growth and partnership between India and New Zealand.

  1. Commerce Secretary Sh. Sunil Barthwal led a delegation on a visit to New Zealand from 26 to 27 April 2024, for a Joint Trade Committee meeting held in Wellington. Discussions were co-chaired by Mr. Rajesh Agarwal, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, and Mr. Vangelis Vitalis, Deputy Secretary Trade & Economic at MFAT. The talks covered various aspects of the India-New Zealand trade relationship.

  1. NZ’s Deputy Prime Minister & Foreign Minister Winston Peters visited India from 10 to 13 March 2024. Commencing his journey in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, he toured the GIFT City and engaged in discussions with Gujarat's CM, Bhupendrabhai Patel, covering shared maritime security and economic interests, along with cooperation in education, investment, infrastructure, and agro-technology. In New Delhi, Peters met External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar on 12 March. Notably, an enhanced Air Services Agreement between the two nations was implemented, facilitating code sharing and potentially leading to direct flights between Auckland and New Delhi. Peters also visited India's new Parliamentary buildings, emphasising shared democratic values. He also engaged with Indian entrepreneurs to foster business relations and attended a WPL cricket match at Arun Jaitley Stadium. During his stay, Minister Peters also met Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and NSA Ajit Doval.

  1. Trade Minister Todd McClay visited India on 18-19 December 2023. He met CIM Piyush Goyal and discussed various issues to enhance India-NZ trade. The meeting was aimed at strengthening the trade relations between India and NZ and exploring opportunities for mutual growth and cooperation. 

  1. Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs, Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh paid an official visit to NZ from 24-29 September 2023. This was first official visit of MoS to NZ. During the visit, MoS and NZ’s Prime Minister Chris Hipkins participated in the 1st India Business Summit 2023 co-organised by the High Commission and the Auckland Chamber of Commerce where he shared his views on India's economic growth and boosting India-NZ relations. MoS held bilateral meetings with Ms. Priyanca Radhakrishnan, Minister of Ethnic Community and Voluntary sector and Ms. Jan Tinetti, Minister of Education. 

  1. NZ’s Trade & Export Growth and Agriculture Minister, Damien O’Connor, visited India from August 27 to August 29, 2023, for bilateral talks to strengthen economic ties. 

  1. Minister of Foreign Affairs & Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control Nanaia Mahuta, visited India from 7-10 February 2023. During her visit, she had bilateral meetings with EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar. She also met Mrs. Meena Singh, Minister of Tribal Welfare, Madhya Pradesh. She also had a number of Pacific and solar focused meetings including a panel discussion on Solar Power in Oceania, a meeting with the International Solar Alliance Director General Dr Ajay Mathur.  Minister Nanaia Mahuta also visited Mumbai where she took part in a NZTE Business Roundtable; a virtual opening of NZ company Fresco’s office in Gujarat, and she met a group of NZ’s Prime Minister scholarship recipients from the University of Auckland.

  1. EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar visited NZ from 5th to 9th October 2022. EAM level visit happened after a gap of 21 years. EAM also paid a courtesy call on the Prime Minister of NZ, Jacinda Ardern and afterwards participated in an event along with the Prime Minister to felicitate members of the Indian community in NZ for their exceptional achievements and contributions. Both leaders released India@75 postage stamps to commemorate and showcase Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav in NZ. EAM also launched the book ‘Modi@20: Dreams Meet Delivery’. A book showcasing Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s special bond with the Sikh community ‘Heartfelt - The Legacy of Faith’ was also released. During the visit EAM also interacted with several Ministers, including Ms. Priyanca Radhakrishnan, Minister for the Community & Voluntary Sector, Diversity, Inclusion and Ethnic Communities, and Youth, who is the first person of Indian origin to become a Minister in NZ, Parliamentarians, the leader of the opposition, members of the business community as well as Indian diaspora, including Indian students.

  1. NZ Trade & Agriculture Minister Mr. Damien O’Connor & Food Safety Minister Meka Whaitiri visited India in September 2022. Minister Connor had a series of meetings with Hon’ble Commerce & Industry Minister Mr. Piyush Goyal, Hon’ble Minister for Agriculture & Farmer’s Welfare Mr. Narendra Singh Tomar, and Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairy Mr. Parshottam Rupala. Mr. O’Connor also met INZBC delegation and Niti Aayog CEO Mr. Amitabh Kant in an interaction hosted by NZ High Commission in New Delhi. As Agriculture Minister, O’Connor spoke at the ‘Farm to Fork’ panel, showcasing NZ’s investments in agri-tech, on-farm training and skills development, and climate-responsive farming as part of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) LEADS Conference. Minister Whaitiri addressed the World Dairy Summit in New Delhi, the flagship event of the International Dairy Federation. During the Summit, Minister Whaitiri met various Ministers and senior officials. Earlier CIM and Minister “O Connor had met on 10 September, 2019 on the side-lines of 7th RCEP Ministerial Meeting in Bangkok. And also during his visit to India on 5-7 November, 2019. 

  1. The then DPM & FM Winston Peters led a high-level delegation to India from 25-29 February, 2020 that included Minister for Trade and Export Growth David Parker, Labour MP Priyanca Radhakrishnan, ex-MP Mahesh Bindra, CEO of Asia NZ Foundation Simon Draper, senior officials from MFAT and 18 business representatives. DPM & FM Peters met EAM and reviewed the state of bilateral relations and discussed steps to intensify political, economic, defence, security and people to people relations.  He attended India-NZ Business Forum organised by FICCI and also visited Azadpur, Asia’s largest fruit and vegetable market. Mr. Peters delivered a keynote address titled ‘The Indo Pacific: From Principles to Partnership’ organized by Indian Council of World Affairs, expressing support for India’s leadership on the Indo-Pacific Ocean’s Initiative. He also inaugurated the ‘NZ Centre’ at IIT Delhi on 26 February, 2020 that will serve as a nodal point of academic collaboration between all the eight NZ universities and Indian Universities and institutes of higher learning. 

  2. Visit of MOS (VKS) to NZ: The then Minister of State for External Affairs Gen. (Rtd.) V.K. Singh visited NZ from 7-9 June 2017. He was the Guest of Honour at the Kiwi-Indian Hall of Fame event organized in Auckland by ethnic Indian newspaper ‘Indian Weekender’.

PARLIAMENTARY EXCHANGES:

  1. A four-member delegation from NZ Parliament’s South and South-East Asia Parliamentary Friendship Group including Mr. Greg O’Connor from Labour Party and Mr. Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi, Mr. Tim Mcindoe and Ms. Melissa Lee from National Party visited New Delhi and Mumbai from 20-26 November, 2019. The delegation called on MoS for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs Shri V. Muraleedharan, Deputy Chairperson of Rajya Sabha, Chairperson of the Standing Committee on External Affairs and the Chief Election Commissioner.

VISIT BY DELEGATIONS FROM STATES: 

  1. Shri Saurabh Bahuguna, Minister of Animal Husbandry, Dairy and Fisheries, Government of Uttarakhand visited NZ from 27 to 31 December 2022 to study best practices in value chain development of sheep, goat and cattle husbandry, dairying and fisheries in NZ and to explore opportunities of joint ventures with cooperative organizations, farmers associations and business associates. He visited farms in the periphery of Wellington and Christchurch and also met Mr. Earl Rattray, Director, Dairy Farms NZ Limited in Auckland and discussed above mentioned issues with him.

  2. Visit of delegation from the Government of Assam: The delegation from Assam headed by Dr. Ashish Kumar Bhutani, Additional Chief Secretary visited NZ on a Horticulture Study Tour from 3 June to 10 June 2023. The delegation also visited Lincoln University in South Island and Massey University in Palmerston North. They also had meetings with officials from Ministry for Primary Industries, Govt. of NZ.

  3. Visit of a delegation from the Government of Arunachal Pradesh: A seven-member delegation from the Department of Horticulture, Government of Arunachal Pradesh visited NZ on 28 November 2019 to study plantation, harvesting, nurturing and packaging of kiwi fruits. NZ is world’s largest producer of Kiwifruit with more than 30% of the global volume.  

  1. Speakers of State Legislatures visit NZ: Mr Yumnam Khemchand, Speaker of the Manipur Legislative Assembly, Mr. Kedarnath Rai and Shri Lall Bahadur Das, Speaker of the Sikkim Legislative Assembly visited Auckland and Wellington respectively from 12-14 November, 2019.

 Institutional Dialogue Mechanisms:

  1. Joint Trade Committee - The last JTC meeting was held on 26 April 2024. Talks were led by Mr. Rajesh Agarwal, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, and Mr. Vangelis Vitalis, Deputy Secretary Trade & Economic, MFAT.


  1. Foreign Ministry Consultations: On 18 August 2023, the 5th India-NZ Foreign Ministry Consultations (FMC) took place in Wellington. Co-chaired by Shri Saurabh Kumar, Secretary (East) and Ms. Deborah Geels, Deputy Secretary - Americas and Asia Group, MFAT the meeting highlighted the strengthened engagement between the two countries. 

  1. India-NZ Cyber Dialogue: The second edition of the India-NZ Bilateral Cyber Dialogue was held on 16-17 November 2021.

  2. NZ-India Economic Dialogue: The seventh round of India-NZ Economic Dialogue was held in New Delhi on 28 November, 2019. The Indian side was led by Dr. C.S. Mohapatra, Additional Secretary (BC&SF), Ministry of Finance, while the NZ delegation was led by Mr. Bryan Roger Chapple, Deputy Secretary (Macro Economic & Growth) in the NZ Treasury. Discussions focused on current economic conditions, global economic environment, infrastructure and tax reforms.

  1. Track-II Dialogue: The 6th round of the ICWA - Asia NZ Foundation and NZ-India Research Institute Track II Dialogue was held at Sapru House, New Delhi on August 18, 2023. The event commenced with opening remarks by Ambassador Vijay Thakur Singh, Director General of the Indian Council of World Affairs, followed by statements from Professor David Capie, Director of the NZ India Research Institute. The event featured two sessions: the first, chaired by India and moderated by Ambassador Gitesh Sarma, focused on evolving global and regional geopolitical scenarios, including the Russia-Ukraine crisis, Indo-Pacific developments, and strategic uncertainties, with contributions from speakers like Professor David Capie and Manjeet Pardesi. The second session, chaired by NZ and moderated by Prof David Capie, explored economic and tech competition, discussing trade, technology, and supply chains, and opportunities for increased cooperation between NZ and India in the context of a multilateral world, with insights from speakers such as Dr. Chaitanya Giri and Ms. Tracey Epps. 

SECTOR-WISE COOPERATION BETWEEN INDIA AND NZ

DEFENCE COOPERATION

  1. Visit of Chief of Royal NZ Navy- Chief of the Royal NZ Navy, Rear Admiral David Proctor, visited India from 19 to 27 February 2024. On 21 February 2024, he engaged in discussions with Chief of the Naval Staff R. Hari Kumar in New Delhi.

  2. Vice Chief of Defence Force of NZ Air Vice-Marshal Tony Davies, visited India from 20 to 24 November 2023 and engaged in discussions with senior Indian military officers, emphasising the deepening of defence ties and bilateral cooperation.

  1. In a significant and historic event, two Indian Naval Ships, INS Sahyadri and INS Kolkata, made port calls in New Zealand from 31 August to 3 September 2023, with one ship visiting Wellington and the other Auckland. This visit was particularly notable as it marked the first time in six years that Indian Naval Ships had visited New Zealand. The visit facilitated bilateral exchanges, enhancing ties between the naval forces of both nations and promoting mutual understanding and collaboration across various domains.

  1. A 14 member NDC delegation led by Lt. General Sukriti Singh Dahiya, visited NZ from 29 May - 02 June 2023. The delegation had members from Sudan, Oman, UK and Germany as well. They started their study tour from Auckland and visited Royal NZ Navy Base RNZN Marae, Waiouru Military Station in Rotorua and Te Papa Museum in Wellington. In Defence House in Wellington, they were addressed by Air Marshal Kevin Short, Chief of Defence Force, NZ and briefed by various defence officials and think tank on NZ’s cultural and political context, security dynamics in the Indo- Pacific Region, NZ’s approach to security, NZ’s defence force and defence policy.

  1. As part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahatsov programme, the National Cadet Corps on behalf of Government of India invited the delegations of the National Cadet Corps/equivalent to the Republic Day Camp. From NZ delegation of 10 youths accompanied by 2 guardians participated in various activities of the Republic Day Camp  including Republic Day Parade, interaction with dignitaries and visit to various places of historical and cultural importance from 16 January to 29 January 2023.

  1. Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R. Hari Kumar visited NZ from 29 September to 1 October 2022, with a three-member delegation. CNS had bilateral meetings with his counterpart and other Defence authorities during his visit which. An Agreement was signed by Indian Navy, the NZ National Maritime Coordination Centre and the Royal NZ Navy during this visit concerning the exchange of information relating to White Shipping. 

  1. Meeting of Defence Ministers: Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh and NZ Defence Minister Mr. Ron Mark met in Bangkok on the margins of ASEAN Defence Ministers-Plus meeting on 17 November 2022 and discussed full spectrum of defence cooperation.

AGRICULTURE, DAIRY AND PRIMARY SECTOR COOPERATION:

  1. In April 2024, a six-member delegation from the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) of India visited New Zealand with the primary objective of exploring opportunities for collaboration within the dairy sector. The delegation's visit was aimed at exchanges of knowledge and best practices between India and New Zealand. The delegation engaged in meetings and site visits across various dairy facilities in New Zealand. This visit served as a platform to strengthen bilateral ties and pave the way for future collaborations aimed at mutual growth and development in the dairy sector.

  2. Visit of delegation from the Government of Assam in June 2023 - details at para no. 22. 

  3. A two-member delegation from FSSAI, visited NZ from 16-20 January 2023 to hold Third Consultative Forum meeting under the Food Safety Cooperation in Wellington and to discuss progressing food safety cooperation activities. The visit helped in development of expertise beneficial in developing new policy and better implementation of food safety system in our country. The delegation consisted of Ms Inoshi Sharma, Executive Director and Dr. Amit Sharma, Director. They also visited Custom house of Wellington to learn about the inspection practices of MPI, NZ.

  4. Visit of Shri Saurabh Bahuguna, Minister of Animal Husbandry, Dairy, Fisheries, Government of Uttarakhand in December 2022 - details at para no. 21. 

  5. A delegation from Amul, India under the leadership of Mr. Jayen Mehta, Managing Director visited NZ from 14 to 23 April 2023. Thy visited many Dairy Farms and also had an interaction with Damien O’Connor, Minister of Agriculture; for Biosecurity; for Trade & Export Growth; and Land Information in one of these visits. They also visited Fonterra Research and Development Centre (FRDC), Riddet Institute, Massey University – World Leading Food Technology Research Institute / Dairy Product Development, Milk Test NZ (MTNZ) which is the only milk testing laboratory in NZ.  They also visited Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC) which is NZ’s largest dairy genetic improvement and bull breeding centre providing 70% of NZ’s dairy cattle semen.

  6. A three Member delegation from Plant Protection division of Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare visited NZ from 20 to 22 February 2023 to undertake an audit of the NZ Kiwano (fruit) system for export to India and a tour of forestry sites. The delegation consisted of Dr Ranjit Singh, Director Dr Chandrashekhar Patni. Deputy Director and Dr Micheal Raja Jacob, Assistant Director. They visited Tauranga, Te Puke, Rotorua and Auckland regions for this purpose.

  7. Jammu and Kashmir Government signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) with NZ G2G for revamping the sheep farming sector in the Union Territory. It is a step forward in improving farmer's remuneration, transfer of technology in research & development as well as marketing & value addition of sheep products of J&K.  The signing of MoC ceremony was held virtually on 10 February 2022.

COOPERATION IN THE FIELD OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

  1. Protocol for Cooperation in Science and Innovation: The 3rd and the last India-NZ Joint Committee Meeting on Science & Technology was held in New Delhi on 23rd May 2016. 

  1. Visit of a senior delegation for E-governance training programme: A 25-member delegation of senior bureaucrats from India, headed by Shri M.S. Rao, CEO of National E-Governance, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology visited NZ for a five day ‘NZ Digital Government Programme’ organised by Victoria University in Wellington from 11-15 November, 2019. A two member delegation from the Ministry of Electronics and IT participated in 58th Conference/Meeting of APNIC (Asia Pacific Network Information Centre) held in Wellington in September 2024.

COOPERATION IN EDUCATION / INDIAN STUDENTS 

  1. Indian Students: India is the 2nd largest source of international students in NZ after China. Currently, there are approximately 8,000 Indian students in NZ, pursuing higher education in various disciplines such as information technology, hospitality, science, engineering, and architecture. 

  1. NZ Centre at IIT Delhi: On 11 February 2020, The Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi signed a MoU with NZ universities to establish a NZ Centre at the Institute, which was inaugurated by the then DPM and Foreign Minister of NZ Winston Peters during his visit to New Delhi on 26 February, 2020. IIT Delhi and NZ universities are contributing NZ $50,000 each to fund 10 research projects on cancer, waste management, cyber security, robotics, autonomous vehicles and medical technology, which is being done in collaboration by academics from IIT Delhi and one NZ varsity. The researchers have a year to complete their projects and are receiving $10,000 each. 

  1. As part of the Prime Ministers’ Education Initiative announced during PM John Key’s visit in June 2011, India and New Zealand established the India-NZ Education Council, which held its inaugural meeting in New Delhi on October 19, 2012. During this meeting, six MoUs of cooperation between various institutions were signed. The NZ India Research Institute, a national center for Indian studies in New Zealand, was launched in August 2013, involving scholars from seven prominent NZ universities. An MoU between the ICCR and Victoria University of Wellington established a Chair of Indian Studies, valid until the end of 2019, with a professor deputed for one semester.

  1. In February 2024, Education New Zealand (ENZ) furthered its commitment to India by signing  two Education Cooperation Arrangements with Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) and the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad, reinforcing New Zealand's commitment to India as a key education partner. These agreements were announced during the New Zealand-India Education Connect event. Also in the same month Education New Zealand (ENZ) signed another Education Cooperation Arrangement with the Karnataka State Higher Education Council to enhance educational collaboration. This collaboration focuses on exploring international partnerships in STEM, Social Sciences, Hospitality, Tourism, and Multimedia, facilitating collaborative research initiatives, and sharing best practices and trends in education. 

  2. India was the “Country of Honour” at the International Education Conference in Wellington on 6-8 August 2024. President Droupadi Murmu was the keynote speaker at the conference.

BILATERAL ECONOMIC & COMMERCIAL RELATIONS

  1. In the year 2023-24 NZ exported US$ 0.84 billion of total goods and services to India and imported US$ 0.91 billion, representing a trade balance of US$-78.26 million and a total trade value of US$ 1.75 billion.  This represented 1.4% of all exports of total goods and services in this time period and 1.4% of imports. For trade in total goods and services India ranked 14 of 242 for highest export value, 15 of 241 for highest import value, and 13 of 244 for highest total trade value. India primarily imports wool, Iron & Steel, fruit & nuts and Aluminium from NZ. Indian exports to NZ mostly are pharmaceuticals/medications, Mechanical Machinery, Made up textile articles and Pearls, Precious stones & Metals.

  1. Bilateral Trade in the last 5 years (in US Dollars):

Indian Imports

from NZ

Total Imports

Indian Exports

to NZ

Total Exports

Total Trade

(US$ billion)

Goods

Services

Goods

Services

2023

0.32b

0.52b

0.84b

0.68b

0.23b

0.91b

$1.75b

2022

0.36b

0.18b

0.54b

0.77b

0.21b

0.96b

$1.50b

2021

0.32b

0.43b

0.75b

0.74b

0.15b

0.80b

$1.55b

2020 

0.34b

0.60b

0.93b

0.51b

0.26b

0.74b

$1.67b

2019

0.51b

0.70b

1.22b

0.56b

0.20b

0.75b

$1.97b

*Source: Statistics NZ

  1. Indian companies in NZ: All major Indian IT companies are present in NZ. Bank of India, Bank of Baroda and New India Assurance have commercial operations in NZ. Indian IT giant HCI, which already has a significant presence in NZ, opened a delivery centre in Hamilton primarily to service Fonterra, one of world’s biggest dairy cooperative. In 2020, it won $ 20 million annual contract from Fonterra. Mahindra Motors, Tech Mahindra Ltd, Infosys, Dr. Reddy Laboratories and Royal Enfield Motors have presence in NZ. Mahindra Motors is significantly expanding its presence in New Zealand with 20 outlets across the country. They are also planning to launch e-vehicles in New Zealand.

  1. Some other leading NZ companies having substantial business undertakings in India are Gallagher Group, which has installed security systems in the Indian Parliament, ISRO & other key locations; Sealegs that supplied amphibious motor boats to the Mumbai Police; Hamilton Jet which supplied water propulsion jet engines for the patrol boats of the Indian Coast Guard; Glidepath that supplies air cargo handling systems / conveyor belts at India’s international airports and has since been purchased by French Company B2A Technology; Quality NZ, supplying high-quality seafood, meat products, fruits, wine to various five-star hotels in India; Redesign Group, involved in designing of shopping malls and other projects at major Indian international airports etc; Valocity, a real estate online aggregator platform bringing together brokers, lenders and home buyers, that was included in the top 20 financial technology companies by India Fin-tech Awards. Rakon NZ has established a manufacturing unit in Bengaluru through a joint venture with Centum Electronics Limited, specialising in telecommunications products. Their chips were used in Chandrayaan-3.

  1. India NZ Business Council (INZBC) is the prominent organization working to promote India-NZ trade and investment relations. Founded in 1988 and based in Auckland, INZBC lobbies with the government, disseminates information through its publications and facilitates business development by leveraging networks. Every year it organizes its flagship event titled ‘India-NZ Business Summit, which draws participation from the highest level of leadership in government, business and academia from both countries to deliberate on ways and means of strengthening bilateral trade and investment. The last edition of the Business Summit was held in August 2023 in Delhi under the Theme “India & New Zealand: A Relationship Ready For Its Next Phase.” 

Trade Promotion Activities

  1. The High Commission has been actively promoting trade ties with New Zealand through various initiatives. On 12 February 2023, a Pharmexcil delegation organized a two-day B2B Pharma event in Wellington, involving 22 Indian pharma companies. On 19 April 2023, an agricultural/horticultural seminar was held in collaboration with the NZ International Business Forum. A half-day symposium on 31 May 2023, focused on enhancing trade, tourism, technology, and diplomacy between the two countries, featuring NZ Trade Minister Damien O’Connor. On 27 June 2023, a 'Make in India' event marked the inauguration of Rakon's manufacturing unit in Bengaluru. The Indian Business Summit on 28 September 2023, in Auckland, facilitated discussions on trade, digital transformation, and climate change, attended by NZ Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and India's Rajkumar Ranjan Singh. A half-day event on 5 December 2023, highlighted business, tourism, and culture from Assam, Kerala, and Uttar Pradesh. The 'Super Sourcing Oceania Expo' on 7 March 2024, brought together 35 Indian companies and 250 NZ counterparts for B2B exchanges. And 27 Indian companies participated in the 42nd EMEX in Auckland from 28-30 May 2024, focusing on engineering, manufacturing technology, and electronics.

CULTURAL COOPERATION

  1. The presence of large Indian diaspora in NZ and strong people-to-people linkages act as the foundation for close cultural cooperation between the two countries. 

  1. All Indian festivals including Diwali, Holi, Rakshabandhan, Baisakhi, Guruparvs, Onam, Pongal, Annakut etc are celebrated with much enthusiasm all over NZ. There are several schools all over NZ that teach Indian traditional art forms such as Kathak and Bharatnatyam as well as contemporary Bollywood dance styles. There are several schools teaching and promoting Hindi and other Indian languages in NZ.

  1. Rajastani Troupe: In January 2024, an eight-member Rajasthani cultural troupe embarked on a tour of NZ, captivating audiences with nine dynamic performances, which include performances in the Republic Day celebrations at the High Commission, showcasing the authentic folk music and dance of Rajasthan. Through meticulous publicity campaigns and community engagements, including workshops for the Indian community and dignitaries' attendance, the troupe left an indelible mark on NZ, earning widespread acclaim for their disciplined, vibrant displays. Their visit served as a powerful celebration of cultural exchange, fostering appreciation for Rajasthan's rich heritage and strengthening the bonds between communities.

  1. Diwali Stamps: A set of four new stamps depicting the story of Diwali was issued by NZ Post in October 2021. Each of the four stamps represents one of the ways in which Diwali is celebrated. Over the years, the Diwali celebration in NZ has reached out to the members well beyond the Indian community. The launch of Diwali stamps demonstrates the impact of the Indian culture on the wider NZ society.

  2. 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi: Several events were held across NZ to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi in 2020. Apart from the official event hosted by High Commission of India in front of Gandhi statute at Wellington Railway station, a candlelight vigil was organised at NZ Parliament a lecture titled ‘Remembering Mahatma Gandhi in the Twenty First Century’ was organised by NZIRI at Victoria University on the eve of the anniversary. Gandhi Institute of Non-Violence was launched in Auckland on 2nd October 2019 which will be based in Mahatma Gandhi Centre and will work in close cooperation with the University of Auckland. In 2019, the 150th year celebrations were started with commemorative postage stamps released in Wellington and a peace march also held in Auckland. In a historic first, NZ postage stamps featuring Gandhi were released in Auckland which were jointly released by High Commissioner of India along with NZ PM Jacinda Ardern. A talk on Mahatma Gandhi by Dr. Srikant Chatterjee, Professor Emeritus in the School of Economics and Finance at Massey University was organised on 22 February, 2020 by Wellington Indian Association.

  3. Cultural Cooperation Agreement: ‘An Arrangement on Cultural Cooperation between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of NZ had been under negotiation for some years. In November 2016, our final text was forwarded to the NZ High Commission, seeking concurrence of the NZ side. However, in January 2020, NZ responded that its ‘Ministry of Culture & Heritage’ is a small agency with limited scope of international engagement and was not in a position to pursue the arrangement as it was focussed on Australia and the Pacific.

SPORTS & YOUTH AFFAIRS

  1. Both India and NZ have enjoyed close sporting links, particularly in cricket, hockey and mountaineering. In the field of mountaineering, Sir Edmund Hillary, who is considered a NZ hero, is also an iconic name in India. He served as NZ High Commissioner to India from 1985 to 1988. In the field of cricket, both countries started playing at test level in 1950s and enjoy a friendly rivalry.

  1. In celebration of India's 75th year of independence during the 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav,' two supervisors and ten cadets from NZ, comprising a mix of boys and girls, were selected through a quiz competition centered on India's history, culture, and achievements over the past 75 years. They had the opportunity to participate in the Republic Day Camp in India in January 2023. The programme, which took place from 16 January to 29 January 2023, included attendance at significant national events, visits to historical and cultural sites, interactions with dignitaries, and exposure to Indian culture.

  1. MoU on Youth Affairs & Sports: A MoU between Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports and Sport NZ was signed on 26 October 2016. 

  1. Sir Edmund Hillary Prime Minister’s Fellowship awarded to Ms. Deepa Malik: Indian Paralympian, Ms Deepa Malik visited NZ from 8-10 May, 2019 to receive the Sir Edmund Hillary Prime Minister’s Fellowship for NZ for 2019. She met NZ PM Jacinda Ardern and other NZ Govt representatives and addressed interactive events organised by the High Commission in Wellington and in Auckland by the Auckland Indian Association.

  1. New Zealand is considering celebrating 100 years of sporting links with India, marking a century of athletic exchange and competition between the two nations. The first hockey from NZ visited in 1926.

INDIAN COMMUNITY

  1. Indians started arriving in NZ in the late 18th century on British East India Company ships, bringing supplies to Australian convict settlements. Most of the initial immigrants were from Gujarat followed by Punjab. Initially, most Indians settled down in the North Island, especially Auckland, although there were communities in Wellington, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, Manawatu and Wairarapa and Christchurch. After the Second World War, Punjabi Sikhs who often had farming experience, settled mainly in the Waikato district and took up dairy farming. Following the 1987 and 2000 military coups in Fiji, many Fijian Indians were accepted on humanitarian grounds. During 1970s, with the opening of supermarkets and dairies (convenience stores), Indian immigrants started working in retail, video stores, restaurants, dairies and restaurants. In the last decade, most of the new immigrants came as students and settled down in jobs and professions after completing their education.  There are approximately 3,00,000 PIOs in NZ out of which about 70,000 persons are estimated to be Indian passport holders and the rest holding NZ passports. Out of these, 35,000 persons are estimated to be of Fijian-Indian descent. Hindi is the fifth most spoken language in NZ after English, Maori, Samoan and Mandarin. While many are engaged in grocery and food distribution business, dairy farming and as cab drivers, there are also several professionals including doctors, professors, engineers, chartered accountants and computer experts. As per a recent study conducted by an Indian community association, by a conservative estimate, persons of Indian origin now contribute more than NZ $ 10 billion to NZ’s GDP. 

 

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August 2024

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