New Zealand PM in India to Push for Free Trade

Posted June 27th, 2011 at 4:40 pm (UTC-5)
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New Zealand Prime Minister John Key is in India for a three-day visit aimed at pushing for a free trade agreement between the two countries.

Mr. Key, who is accompanied by a delegation of government officials and business leaders, arrived in New Delhi Sunday. He kicked off his trip with a visit to the famous Taj Mahal palace, Monday.

On Tuesday, he is due to hold talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The main focus will be ongoing negotiations to put a free trade agreement in place by 2012. The two countries also hope to at least double their bilateral trade from the current $1 billion.

India and New Zealand are also expected to sign several agreements and exchange views on regional, multilateral and bilateral issues.

Mr. Key will conclude his trip to India with a visit to India's financial and entertainment hub, Mumbai, where he will visit a Bollywood studio. New Zealand serves as a scenic backdrop for song-and-dance numbers in many Bollywood movies.