Meetings with India’s Minister Piyush Goyal, top industrialists in Delhi on December 19, 2023
Venkat Raman
Auckland, December 18, 2023
Trade Minister Todd McClay promised us during his visit to our offices on June 29, 2023 that if appointed as the Trade Minister by a National-led government, his first overseas visit will be to India.
He repeated that promise when we met him at his office in the Beehive in Wellington on December 5, 2023 a day after he was sworn-in by Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro.
“I am waiting for confirmation from Piyush Goyal (India’s Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal),” he said.
This Morning he told us that he is on his way to New Delhi, hoping to start ‘a new relationship with India on a new slate.’
Strategic talks in Delhi
That would mean that Mr Todd will not raise the issue of removal or even reduction of tariffs on agricultural, dairy and meat exports but explore the areas of immediate cooperation and engagement.
Trade Minister Todd McClay will make his first overseas visit to India and Singapore to meet with his trade counterparts and to advance New Zealand’s relationships.
Mr McClay said that he was looking forward to a personal meeting with Mr Goyal.
“Such a meeting is essential for developing a strong partnership that enhances opportunities for both our countries. The relationship with India is a strategic priority for our Coalition Government, and we will look at how to strengthen this important connection across a range of areas,” he said.
He said that the highlight of his visit will also be addressing a large meeting of more than 250 industrialists, entrepreneurs and investors in New Delhi.
Meeting with top industrialists
“I am told that this is a very important meeting at which G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant will moderate the discussions. He is hosting my participation and I deem it as a great opportunity to promote New Zealand as a friend and partner for India. My visit to India has come at a propitious time,” he said.
Earlier, at our office, Mr McClay hit ground realities when he said that there was a need to change the dialogue with India and make it known that New Zealand’s interests go beyond a Free Trade Agreement and Cricket.
“National will demonstrate early that we want the closest possible relationship with India in all fields. Our relationship in political, scientific, educational and climate change areas will be just as important as trade. We know that expanded trade links require a foundation of a broad-based and extremely solid relationship,” he said.
Mr McClay was the Trade Minister under the John Key and Bill English governments.
“An updated strategy is a way to start and it is not that hard. Australia has a good strategy for India, and I cannot see why we cannot develop something similar. But more importantly, the next National government will put in the effort and implement a strategy in partnership with the New Zealand Indian business community and deliver on the obvious potential that this relationship offers,” he said.
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Constructive Engagement
Mr Kant told Indian Newslink during a long interview in Auckland on May 4, 2017 that New Zealand can benefit by participating in India’s Services Sector, which has been fully liberalised.
“We would welcome New Zealand to be our partner in modernising and expanding our infrastructure, education, health and other areas. There are no restrictions on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). We have the presence and participation of almost all major multinationals in India. The New Zealand government and Kiwi companies should realise that India is the place to be in the next three years,” he said.
Mr Kant was in New Zealand with his wife Ranjeeta as a guest of the New Zealand government fulfilling his role as the Fellow of the ‘Sir Edmund Hillary Fellowship for India and Nepal’ in 2017.
Mr McClay brings substantial experience in international relations and diplomacy to his current job. His global assignments have included Head of Staff to Lord Plumb, President of the European Parliament and Leader of the British Conservatives in the European Parliament, Founder and Chief Executive of Political Relationship Management (a European government affairs and lobbying firm), an accredited diplomat of the Cook Islands, New Zealand’s Ambassador to the European Union and Trade Growth Minister of the Crown.
Visit by Peters, Luxon
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon also hope to visit India early in the New Year. While Mr the visit of Mr Peters will eventuate in the normal course of diplomatic business, the Prime Ministerial visit will depend on the availability of India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will be campaigning for the general election due to be held in April/May 2024.
Mr McClay will indubitably raise the issue of Mr Luxon’s visit during his talks in New Delhi.
“Our Prime Minister has said that he is keen to visit India to foster bilateral ties.
“That is a very good place to start because we need to signal from the very top that we respect India enormously and want to make developing the relationship a priority. A visit by the Prime Minister will be followed by regular Ministerial and senior official travel. Every key minister and every senior official will know their counterparts and leave them in no doubt that we want to work closely with them. We will invest immediately in people-to-people contacts,” Mr McClay told us.
Relations with Singapore
Mr McClay will stopover in Singapore on his return to hold talks with Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong.
New Zealand and Singapore enjoy the Closer Economic Cooperation Agreement signed in 2000, which was upgraded in 2020. The two countries are also parties to the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, the ASEAN Australia New Zealand Free Trade Area and the Comprehensive and Progressive Partnership.
“India and Singapore are two key partners in the Indo-Pacific region, and I look forward to engaging with Minister Mr Yong to deepen our relationships. Singapore is our most significant trading partner in Southeast Asia and a critical hub for New Zealand supply lines. We are key, like-minded partners in the importance of international trade rules. Establishing a strong relationship early with Minister Gan will be invaluable as we continue to strengthen the New Zealand-Singapore Enhanced Partnership,” Mr McClay said.
He said that Singapore’s innovative and open approach to international trade has made New Zealand natural partners on issues such as the green economy and supply chain management.
