‘FTA is another step in the deep relationship we have with India’: NZ Minister Shane Reti | World News

New Zealand Minister of Science and Technology Shane Reti on Monday described the newly signed India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) as a significant milestone and said the agreement will increase cooperation between the two countries and further deepen bilateral ties.

Speaking to ANI, Reti described the agreement as a natural progression of the growing partnership between India and New Zealand.

“The FTA is another step in the deep relationship we have with India. The FTA provides an opportunity to increase our level of cooperation to further enhance the deepening relationship.” he said.

New Zealand Minister of Science and Technology, Shane Reti, also praised India’s growing leadership in the global artificial intelligence (AI) landscape, stating that hosting the India AI Impact Summit 2026 reflects the country’s global importance and influence in shaping the AI ​​agenda.

Speaking to ANI, Reti stated that it was a privilege to attend the meeting that focused on safe, inclusive and human-centered artificial intelligence.

“It is a real privilege to be here and thank you for the invitation to both join you and be a part of this summit. I think the fact that we are holding the summit in India is a recognition by the whole world of the global importance and impact that India can have. This reflects the importance of artificial intelligence and the contribution that India is making,” he said.

Reti noted that from New Zealand’s perspective, India is not only a major global player, but also a country that undertakes important policy work on artificial intelligence.

“From a New Zealand perspective, we see India as a giant, but at the same time good work is being done in policy. We are very keen to collaborate with India in this area, as we also recognize the importance of being able to maximize potential opportunities with artificial intelligence in this area,” he said.

He emphasized the need for balanced regulation and emphasized that innovation should be supported by practical measures.

“This will need some pragmatic guardrails, the ability to have a common international language, pragmatic deliverables, pragmatic rules.” he added.

The Minister also underlined the importance of public trust and social acceptance in the development of artificial intelligence technologies.

“Both India and New Zealand understand that if we are to benefit from the promise of AI, then we need to gain a social license. We need to build trust to earn a social license from our communities,” Reti said. he said.

He added that New Zealand looks forward to learning from India and contributing to broader global discussions on responsible AI governance.

“This is where we will learn from India and be part of an international discussion about how we can show the people we serve that they can have confidence that we are considering all the risks that AI can bring,” he said.