The Prime Minister, John Key, is on his way to India for a series of trade talks. Mr Key is accompanied by 30 business delegates who are interested in improving our trade with India. Unfortunately, tonight they are all stuck in Australia as their New Zealand Air Force plane has technical problems.
India is the third largest economy in the world but we do not have a free trade agreement with this country. India does not want our dairy products or food but it is possible we can sell other products. We also have a large number of international students from India coming to study in New Zealand. India is the second largest source of international students in New Zealand. Unfortunately, many of them have visa problems because of fraudulent education agents in India or false bank statements. The result is that New Zealand is sending these students home. It is difficult to know what John Key can do about this problem though.
As well as students, we have many tourists from India and the number is likely to increase. A direct flight from India to New Zealand would be helpful and this may happen soon.
And accompanying Mr Key and the business people is a Defence Force cricket team along with former Black Caps cricket captain Brendon McCullum. Cricket is India’s favourite sport.
New Zealand has many migrants from India. One in 4 Aucklanders is of Indian ethnicity.
Vocabulary
• delegates – representatives of different businesses
• stuck – unable to travel
• source – place where they come from
• fraudulent – not genuine, false
• Defence Force – army, navy, air force