NZ Prime Minister Luxon defends India free‑trade deal immigration rules

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the India‑New Zealand Free Trade Agreement includes immigration settings that differ from other FTAs because each deal is negotiated separately. He rejected accusations that the provisions discriminate against Indian migrants, stating that “every deal is different” and that it is normal for the immigration minister to impose bespoke visa conditions.

Foreign Minister Winston Peters claimed National officials secretly introduced more restrictive immigration clauses aimed solely at Indians, citing a document he said showed Immigration Minister Erica Stanford approved the changes. Labour trade spokesperson Damien O’Connor and ACT leader David Seymour also weighed in, with Seymour describing a UN Declaration on Indigenous Peoples clause in the agreement as a “fish hook” unrelated to trade.

Both India and New Zealand have expressed satisfaction with the agreement, while New Zealand First has declined to support it. The debate centres on whether the immigration provisions reflect legitimate policy tailoring or constitute targeted discrimination.