Todd McClay is a man on a mission. After almost eight years of relative lull, Beehive is once again abuzz with chatter around how to sweeten relations with South Asian giant India.
Riding on Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s bullish approach to getting the India relationship moving, the trade minister has got himself busy.
He has met his Indian counterpart Piyush Goyal five times in nine months, conveying a serious intent to increase bilateral trade and warm up diplomatic channels.
The hustle seems to have returned to Wellington nearly two years after former foreign minister Nanaia Mahuta said a free trade agreement (FTA) with India was not her government’s priority.
For reviving the Indo-Kiwi camaraderie, McClay has been awarded with the inaugural ‘Friend of India’ award at the Kiwi-Indian Hall of Fame Awards 2024 organised by The Indian Weekender.
“On my most recent trip to India, I met with my counterpart, Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal – for the fifth time in-person since December. We discussed further opportunities to increase trade between our two countries,” McClay told The Indian Weekender.
“I also meet with Ministers responsible for agriculture and primary industries to highlight the strong areas of cooperation and commercial opportunities possible between our food and fibre sectors.”
The National-led government is trying to upend New Zealand’s rather languid approach to doing any worthwhile trade with India much of the last decade.
In 2010, former prime minister John Key made it a priority to settle a trade deal with India. But those talks ended about the time he visited New Delhi in 2016.
Officials have often described India’s reluctance to offer concessions on New Zealand’s primary exports like dairy as a deal breaker when exploring a comprehensive trade agreement.
But McClay suggests that approach could be myopic.
The minister says India will be “pivotal” to achieving the country’s target to double export values in the next decade, pointing to India's market of nearly 1.4 billion people.
"We are developing deeper and stronger engagement across all facets of the relationship, including in food and fibre exports, which hit $213 million last year," McClay says.
This uptick in trade relations has been on a bullish track since Prime Minister Christopher Luxon took office, riding on an election promise to supercharge ties with India.
About two months back, McClay made a surprise pit stop in Delhi, merely days after meeting Goyal in Italy, signaling a distinct gear shift in New Zealand's diplomatic playbook for India.
McClay has been a Member of Parliament from Rotorua since 2008. Before diving into politics, he was a diplomat, notably serving as the Cook Islands and Niue Ambassador to the European Union. His career has also spanned business in Europe and roles in government and public relations internationally.