Andrea FoxHerald business writer·NZ Herald·8 Jul, 2026 04:59 PM4 mins to read‌Edwin Paul credits the local Indian diaspora with playing a significant role in getting a trade agreement inked. Photo / Auckland NZDogged “persistence” over many years by business champions of trade with India undeniably underpins the signing of a New Zealand-India Free Trade Agreement, but geopolitics has been the biggest influence.

That’s the verdict of India-New Zealand Business Council (INZBC) chairman Edwin Paul, who says “shifting paths and the rise of