New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister concludes trip to India
New Zealand (NZ) Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Winston Peters will conclude his 2-day-visit to India today.
The DPM met with External Affairs Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and is scheduled to visit Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda today. Peters’ visit is part of a broader diplomatic outreach from NZ, to engage with regional democratic partners and enhance trade, with stopovers in Australia and Sri Lanka prior to this trip.
Bilateral trade between the two countries in 2024 was $1.84b, with minerals and agriculture being primary exports. NZ has recently sought to enhance diplomatic engagement with South Asia and has pushed for a free trade agreement, with successful first round negotiations concluding in Delhi earlier this month.
Expect this visit by Peters to spur an increased bilateral diplomatic engagement between both countries, with more Indian officials visiting NZ and vice-versa. As for the free trade agreement, this is an important visit by the DPM to show that his party is committed to increasing bilateral trade. His visit with the Minister of Health certainly demonstrates that pharmaceutical exports are top of mind for the NZ coalition government.