It would be a “real milestone” in bilateral relations if Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi were to visit New Zealand, National’s Deputy Leader Nicola Willis has said.
“I know that it would be wonderful to have him visit. Mr Modi, of course, would be welcomed by just about every country in the world. I'm sure that New Zealand is certainly a country that would like to see him.”
The Indian leader has been in the region thrice in the recent past–twice to Australia and once to Fiji and Papua New Guinea–but he hasn’t visited New Zealand.
Willis spoke candidly about relations between the two countries during a freewheeling chat at the office of The Indian Weekender, just weeks ahead of the general election on October 14, 2023.
She described New Zealand’s relationship with India as an important one, “particularly our people-to-people ties”.
“We're so fortunate in New Zealand to have many people of Indian descent…and India, of course, is home to many New Zealanders. But there's so much potential.”
She pointed out despite the “great cultural affinity in terms of our shared love for democracy”, bilateral trade remained quite small.
“It's actually shrunk the last few years under Labour [government]. So National wants to see New Zealand pursue a greater trading relationship with India, because we think we have a lot to learn from each other and gain from each other.”
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 business leaders have pointed out any approach to bilateral relations that focuses solely on an FTA will never work with India, and instead New Zealand should build industry-specific deals incrementally.
Willis underscored pursuing stronger relations with India “will be a priority” for her colleague and National’s prime ministerial candidate Christopher Luxon if the party were to form government.
“In terms of his diplomatic efforts, he said that he wants to see a free trade agreement [FTA] with India pursued, and he knows that that will require New Zealand making itself very available…
“...right from the top and through all levels of diplomacy to ensure that we're starting those conversations, and we're making it clear that that's an important relationship for us.”
A report released this year by India New Zealand Business Council, a trade organisation, suggested the government must look beyond the traditional transactional approach and instead make India a diplomatic priority,
“Regrettably, in the last 40 years there have only been four formal prime ministerial visits to India, and it is now fast approaching a decade since the last one occurred.
“There remains a widespread view that our highest-level government engagements in India are vitally important in advancing our relationship with India,” the report states.
It warned New Zealand was at risk of being further marginalised as the centre of economic and geopolitical gravity shifts towards India.