The Prime Minister will lead a business and education delegation to India next week. Key will meet with India's PM Narendra Modi to discuss strengthening New Zealand's political, security and economic connections with India, and Māori are expected to play a major role.
FOMA believes India is a prosperous market that will benefit the Māori economy.
Māori business leader Traci Houpapa says, “India has the ability to be just as, and if not more important than the China market.”
Ms. Houpapa will be joining Prime Minister John Key as part of a trade delegation to India.
Māori Tourism representatives will also be joining the delegation.
CEO Pania Tyson-Nathan says that Māori have a lot to learn from India.
“We talk about being intergenerational. They truly are intergenerational. I'll be meeting some companies that are more than 800 years old.”
The economy of India is the seventh largest in the world. The country has business relations with New Zealand and Māori. Prime Minister John Key says he wants to discuss establishing a Free Trade Agreement and Māori are expected to play a major role.
“We have to understand what they want.”
Cultural exchanges with India will also benefit Māori.
“India is an emerging market. The whole of New Zealand took their time with China. If you look at Asia and the Asian, it's the culture to culture connection that we can leverage.”
The delegation will leave for India on the 24th of this month.