‘Want to be a part of India’s growth story’: New Zealand trade delegation chairperson Michael Fox

By Ayushi Agarwal
New Delhi [India], August 30 : Michael Fox who is leading New Zealand's largest-ever trade delegation to India said here on Wednesday that his country wants to become part of India’s growth story as it has immense potential.
"It's New Zealand's largest-ever trade delegation to India. 50 business leaders from New Zealand. A huge amount of interest just because of the potential we see in India, the incredible growth story that we see in India and we want to be a part of that story”, said Michael Fox, India New Zealand Business Council Chairperson, while speaking to ANI.
Noting that his country hasn’t invested enough in the relationship with India in the past, Michael believes that there is much more room to grow in terms of investments, improving the trade relationship and government-to-government connections.
“I think it is good momentum. Probably in the past, New Zealand has not invested enough in the relationship with India. We are a long way away. We are a small country. What we are seeing now is that there is an investment in the relationship”, said Fox.
“Our Prime Ministers have met 3 times in the last couple of years. The business community has been very active in advocating foreign investment because we are so amazed at India's growth story. The fact that now India is the fifth largest economy in the world and it will be the third largest soon. New Zealand sees itself as a really good partner in this situation”, he added.
Michael Fox apart from being the Chair of India New Zealand Business Council, also holds a number of other advisory roles including sitting on the New Zealand International Business Forum and Export New Zealand Advisory Board.
He has also worked in Parliament as a Press Secretary and Chief Press Secretary to former Prime Ministers Sir John Key and Sir Bill English and Opposition Leader Simon Bridges. Prior to that, he was a journalist working in Wellington, Auckland, Egypt and Cambodia.
This is New Zealand’s largest yet trade delegation to India reflecting a re-prioritising of ties with India.
The delegation, comprising 50 members and senior leaders of five business organisations, comes at a time of renewed focus on New Zealand’s trade and investment relationship with India. The India New Zealand Business Council in New Zealand published a major review of the economic relationship in April and it has contributed to a great deal of discussion in trade, investment and political circles.
The Indian government has identified agriculture, agritech, education, fintech, forestry, horticulture and renewable energy as key priorities and New Zealand mission participants have the technologies and skills to address some of those development needs.
Indians in New Zealand are playing key role in the delegation, which is no surprise considering that 5 per cent of New Zealand’s population is of Indian descent.