New Delhi, 27 August 2026: The PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) organised an Industry Interactive Session on “India–New Zealand Trade Opportunities” on 27 August 2026 at PHD House, New Delhi, bringing together government officials, industry leaders, experts, business representatives and stakeholders from India and New Zealand to deliberate on strengthening bilateral trade, investment and economic cooperation.
The session focused on emerging trade and business opportunities between India and New Zealand, with particular emphasis on the India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and avenues for enhancing economic engagement between the two countries.
Dr. Ranjeet MehtaCEO & Secretary General, PHDCCI, welcomed the visiting delegation and highlighted the Chamber’s 121-year legacy as the voice of industry and trade. He emphasised the importance of strengthening business and economic linkages between India and New Zealand.
Mrs. Ali Hamlin-PaengaCEO, Te Matapihi National Māori Housing Aotearoa, New Zealand, highlighted the need to look beyond housing as physical infrastructure and focus on building the capability and capacity of families and communities. She noted the potential for India–New Zealand cooperation through the exchange of business management practices, knowledge and expertise to develop stronger and more sustainable housing and community development models.
Mrs. Look at MahutaDeputy Chair, Te Matapihi National Māori Housing Aotearoa, New Zealand and Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand, highlighted the opportunity presented by the India–New Zealand FTA to deepen bilateral engagement. She stressed the importance of people-to-people connections and greater exchanges between delegations, while identifying energy, water and food security as key areas for building resilience through stronger trade, knowledge-sharing and collaboration.
Mr. Adarsh KumarCo-Chair, PHDCCI Infrastructure & Road Development Committee, in his welcome address, highlighted the strong people-to-people ties between India and New Zealand and the immense potential for economic cooperation. He noted that with the FTA creating new opportunities, the focus should be on translating market access into meaningful partnerships, particularly in housing, infrastructure, sustainable construction and smart cities.
Dr. Susheel KumarHead IT Governance & Advisor and Head Smart City Division, Gurugram & Faridabad Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), Government of Haryana, shared his perspectives on India’s evolving Smart Cities ecosystem. Referring to the experience of the 100 Smart Cities, he highlighted opportunities emerging as India prepares for the next phase of Smart City development and emphasised the scope for India–New Zealand cooperation in smart urban solutions, technology, sustainable infrastructure and urban development.
Mr. Kunj VaidyaPartner, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), shared insights on the India–New Zealand FTA and described it as a “once-in-a-generation” agreement with the potential to significantly transform bilateral economic engagement. He highlighted the importance of businesses understanding the opportunities presented by the Agreement and translating its commitments into greater trade, investment and business partnerships.
Mr. Jordan RobertsonChairperson, Te Matapihi National Māori Housing Aotearoa, New Zealand, emphasised the importance of people-to-people connections as a foundation for deeper India–New Zealand relations. He highlighted the need for greater interaction among communities, businesses and institutions to build stronger relationships and long-term partnerships.
Mr. Chief William SioManaging Director, Win-Win Investments Ltd., highlighted the importance of creating long-term economic opportunities that benefit future generations while strengthening families and communities. He emphasised the need for affordable, sustainable and climate-resilient homesalong with stronger healthcare systems to build resilient and prosperous communities.
An overview of the India–New Zealand FTA was presented by Mr. Gautam KhattarPrincipal, Pricewaterhouse & Co. LLP, who provided insights into the Agreement and its potential implications and opportunities for businesses seeking to enhance bilateral trade and economic engagement.
Mr. G. S. ChowdhuryDirector, Rising Japan Infra Pvt. Ltd., shared his organisation’s experience in successfully undertaking and delivering infrastructure projects in India and abroad. He highlighted the potential to extend these capabilities and explore similar project opportunities in New Zealand, thereby fostering greater India–New Zealand collaboration in the infrastructure sector.
In his concluding remarks and vote of thanks, Mr. D. P. GoelCo-Chair, MSME Committee, PHDCCI, expressed appreciation to the distinguished speakers, the New Zealand delegation, participating industry members and stakeholders. He emphasised the importance of sustained industry engagement, stronger business-to-business linkages and greater collaboration between India and New Zealand to unlock opportunities in trade, investment and economic cooperation.
The programme was followed by an engaging Q&A sessionproviding participants an opportunity to interact with the visiting delegation and speakers and seek insights on trade opportunities, the India–New Zealand FTA and avenues for strengthening business partnerships. The session was moderated by Dr. Nasir JamalAssistant Secretary General, PHDCCI, who facilitated the discussion and highlighted the importance of stronger India–New Zealand business-to-business linkages across areas including trade, investment, technology, food processing, infrastructure and services.
The Industry Interactive Session was supported by PwC as the Knowledge Partner and witnessed participation from over 100 industry stakeholders representing diverse sectors, including housing, infrastructure, construction, manufacturing, trade and services, along with members of the New Zealand delegation.
PHDCCI remains committed to facilitating stronger industry-to-industry engagement and creating platforms that enable Indian and international businesses to explore new avenues of trade, investment, knowledge exchange and economic cooperation.
