India trade deal will be a ‘game changer’, industry expert says

New Zealand firms who have established a presence in India may provide Māori businesses with a gateway to the South Asian nation.

Established 12 years ago, Quality NZ is the exclusive supplier of Alliance farmers' sheep meat to the Indian and Southern Asian regions.

"Over time we have developed a vast supply chain network which can help any New Zealand business, especially iwi, provide a gateway to the Indian market," said Geoff Allott, executive director and co-founder of Quality NZ.

The export company also offers services on skill development, student mobility and vocational training.

The company currently trades in 46 cities and has more than 500 customers, supplying goods to 90 percent of all five-star hotels in India.

Allott was speaking at an inaugural roadshow organised by Indiaspora New Zealand at Auckland's Te Mahurehure Cultural Marae.

"Indiaspora is a global network for leaders of Indian origin," said Mallika Janakiraman, ambassador of Indiaspora New Zealand.

"We are bringing this organisation to New Zealand to celebrate the woven connection of trade, talent and trust between India and New Zealand."

Allott highlighted similarities in Māori and Indian cultures, arguing the indigenous story and focus on whenua and whanau is something that appeals to Indians.

"This [similarity] provides an obvious opportunity for iwi," Allott said.

Noting the impact the India-Australia free trade agreement had on New Zealand exports to India, the former Black Cap said domestic quality was still strong.

"There is no denying the difference 33 percent tariff [on sheep meat] makes," Allott said.

"That's why we believe an India-New Zealand trade deal will be a game changer for all New Zealand businesses," he said.

"It will also provide many firms an opportunity to derisk their business who are currently only focused on single markets."

Earl Rattray, a former Fonterra director who calls himself "a 15-year Haryana dairy farmer", wanted the two countries to conclude the deal soon.

In 2012, Rattray collaborated with Indian IT experts Deepak Raj, Sukhvinder Saraf and Pankaj Navani to establish Binsar Farms in the north Indian state of Haryana.

Starting with just four hectares, the farms have since expanded fifteenfold.

Annual milk production at these farms stands at about 1 million litres that is delivered to an estimated 6000 homes daily.

"I hope we get a trade deal soon, and it is as comprehensive as it can possibly be," Rattray said.

"Every country has its own sensitivities, and I am sure trade negotiators on both sides will manage it appropriately."

Mahesh Muralidhar, chief executive at venture capitalist firm Phase One Ventures, who participated in a panel discussion during the road show, called on New Zealand businesses to appreciate the scale India offers.

"We have done it in the past with the US and China," Muralidhar said.

"Now we need to do it again with India, which provides a different texture and different challenges."

Muralidhar pointed to the Indian women's cricket team's victory at the recent World Cup as an example.

"This has caused an explosion of passion in India," he said.

"There lies an opportunity for New Zealand, with its cricket infrastructure, to provide great training, and a rest and recuperation spot for budding Indian cricketers."

Tourism provided another opportunity for businesses, according to Indian Consulate-General Madan Mohan Sethi.

"Currently about 80,000 Indians visit New Zealand every year. Can we think of ways to increase this number to 200,000?" Sethi said.

"This will not only help the hospitality and tourism sector in New Zealand but also enhance people-to-people contact."

Janakiraman hoped the two countries could start to look beyond the trade deal.

"There must also be talent mobility from New Zealand to India, instead of just one way," she said.

"Cricket diplomacy gets talked about a lot. It's time we start talking about culinary and cultural diplomacy between our two great nations as well."