'Not in it to enrich ourselves, we are in it to enrich both peoples': NZ FM on FTA negotiations
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New Delhi: Describing the negotiations on a comprehensive free trade agreement a "breakthrough" in India-New Zealand economic relationship, Foreign Minister Winston Peters on Friday said "we are not in it to enrich ourselves, we are in it to enrich both peoples".In an interactive session after delivering an address at an event here, Peters also elaborated on the trade talks, and said he "understands the concern" of the dairy industry in India."We have started off, and this conversation is going on with real meaning now," he said."We know that there is going to be certain areas.., barriers of concern. I understand, for example, the concern of the dairy industry in India," the foreign minister said.In March 2025, New Zealand and India announced the launch of negotiations towards a comprehensive free trade agreement."India is one of the largest and fastest growing economies in the world. It represents significant opportunities for trade, and is a priority relationship for the New Zealand Government ," according to the website of the New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.The negotiation towards a comprehensive free trade agreement will "allow us to address both tariff and non-tariff barriers that impact our exporters looking to do business in India," it says.Peters, also the Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand, is currently on a visit to India.In his address at the event hosted by think-tank Ananta, he also said, "since the foreign policy reset, we have made concrete strides"."We have launched negotiations on a comprehensive free trade agreement, a breakthrough in our economic relationship," Peters said.In his address, he also said that despite India's economic scale, "it remains only our 12th largest partner in trade, accounting for just 1.5 per cent of our exports"."We are determined that we are going to work to change it," he asserted.Later, he took part in the interaction hosted by the think-tank, during which he spoke about the negotiations towards a comprehensive FTA , the key products of New Zealand, both economically, as also its exotic destinations that attract huge number of tourists from various parts of the world.To a query on dairy industry in the context of the negotiations, he said, "You need 35 per cent more food in the next 35 years, and our country, rather than being an opponent can be a serious help, to drive up your productivity in the dairy industry, to bring about better performance, better breeding, better outcomes, better production.""The more we look at India, we see opportunities everywhere, if we can get this across the line," he said."We are not in it to enrich ourselves, we are in it to enrich both peoples, we got a lot to offer in that sense, host of things, where New Zealand is good at."
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