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A Māori trade advocacy group is condemning what it describes as racist attacks linked to criticism of the New Zealand–India Free Trade Agreement, while also warning the deal represents a missed opportunity for Māori economic development and genuine Treaty partnership.
Ngā Toki Whakarururanga, the Tiriti-based Māori entity established to assess free trade agreements from a Treaty perspective, says it remains deeply concerned about both the negotiation process and the lack of meaningful Māori influence over the final agreement.
The criticism follows the signing of the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement last month, which the Government has promoted as a landmark economic partnership expected to expand exports and strengthen trade ties with one of the world’s fastest-growing economies.
The agreement is expected to reduce or eliminate tariffs on a wide range of New Zealand exports entering India, including forestry products, wool, seafood, honey and horticultural goods.
However, Ngā Toki Whakarururanga says Māori concerns were not adequately addressed during negotiations and argues the process failed to uphold Te Tiriti o Waitangi obligations around partnership and shared decision-making.
The organisation says India restricted access to parts of the negotiating text during discussions, limiting transparency and making it difficult to properly assess the implications for Māori interests before the agreement was finalised.
It also condemned racist commentary that emerged following Māori criticism of the deal, describing the attacks as unacceptable and harmful to constructive public debate around trade policy and Indigenous rights.
Ngā Toki Whakarururanga says it will now undertake a formal Tiriti assessment of the agreement to examine whether the Crown met its obligations to Māori throughout the negotiation process.
Supporters of the agreement argue the deal opens major economic opportunities for New Zealand exporters, including Māori businesses looking to access India’s rapidly expanding middle-class market.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade says the agreement includes provisions intended to support Māori trade interests and reduce barriers for Māori exporters.
But critics say the issue is not only about economic opportunity, but also about ensuring Māori are meaningfully involved in shaping international agreements that could affect Indigenous rights, intellectual property, natural resources and future economic development.
The debate comes amid wider political tension over Treaty obligations and Māori participation in government decision-making, including ongoing disputes around proposed changes to Treaty clauses in legislation across multiple sectors.
