New Zealand's Trade and Export Growth Minister Damien O'Connor is excited about his upcoming visit to India starting August 27, 2023.
In an exclusive interview with The Indian Weekender, the 65-year-old, who has held the portfolio since November 2020, shed light on his key priorities, the status of New Zealand's trade relations with India, his challenges and prospects for the future.
“I’m very pleased to say that I’ll be going to India this weekend for ministerial meetings. This will be my second trip to India in the past year and the fourth by a minister in as much time. I'm hoping we can agree on priorities for our economic cooperation in primary industries, tourism, and education.”
Speaking about New Zealand's trade relations with India, he underscored the robust ties between the two nations. “We have a very good relationship with India, which we are building on. We have people-to-people ties through our Indian diaspora, which forms about five per cent of the Kiwi population. Our Indian diaspora makes a significant contribution to our economy.”
The minister also highlighted cultural, sporting, and business collaborations as additional cornerstones of the relationship while highlighting the tourism and education sectors' substantial gains from Indian visitors before the Covid-19 pandemic.
The minister emphasised that the trade between New Zealand and India, which currently stands at about $2.5 billion, has ample prospects for further expansion.
“I think there's scope to build that as we engage further - whether at ministerial or business-to-business levels. I believe trade is actually about sharing, not just transacting. There is very good scope for cooperation in the agriculture and horticulture space and beyond across all our goods and service sectors.”
Regarding challenges for the New Zealand-India trade relationship, O'Connor said, "I don’t see any significant challenges or barriers to deepening our relationship."
He stressed the importance of consistent ministerial engagement as a foundation for mutual understanding. He also recognised the value of enhancing air connectivity between the two nations through a direct flight. “Improving air connectivity through a direct flight between India and New Zealand would be a great development,” he said.
When asked to comment on the possibility of a free trade agreement (FTA) with India akin to the one with the European Union, O'Connor reiterated the focus on building a robust relationship.
"We see developing our relationship as the most important priority. India indicated some years ago that an FTA was not their priority, and we respect that," he explained.
He pointed to successful trade relations with the United States as an example of thriving commerce without a formal FTA, showcasing the value that the market sees in New Zealand's offerings.
Concluding with his vision for India-NZ relations, O'Connor emphasised consistent engagement and mutual respect.
"I think by visiting and engaging in the way we have been over the past few years, by being consistent and showing that we respect India's position on trade…it's important that the focus remains on the breadth of the relationship and finding ways to cooperate."