The ACT Party has taken a light-hearted swipe at coalition partner New Zealand First after Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson arrived in India to promote New Zealand wool — despite his party’s opposition to the India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
Patterson, a New Zealand First MP responsible for the wool portfolio, is in New Delhi attending Bharat Tex 2026, India’s largest textile expo, where he is leading a New Zealand wool industry delegation.
The trip comes as the coalition partners remain divided over the recently negotiated India FTA, with ACT strongly supporting the agreement and New Zealand First raising concerns about aspects of the deal.
Announcing the visit before departure, Patterson said India was already New Zealand’s second-largest wool export market, with exports worth $76 million in the year to June 2025.
“It is a key market for Kiwi wool growers and exporters and there is strong potential for further growth.”
He said he would use the visit to “champion New Zealand strong wool” and promote opportunities for the country’s wool sector.
Indian-origin ACT MP Parmjeet Parmar seized on the announcement, criticising what she described as an apparent contradiction. “Sometimes it’s better to watch what people do instead of what they say,” Parmar said.
“No doubt he will be pointing out to potential customers that as soon as the Free Trade Agreement is in place, there will be no tariffs and no admin for importing New Zealand wool into India.”
Parmar wished Patterson success in opening new opportunities for New Zealand farmers, adding that the trip highlighted the benefits the FTA could deliver.
The India FTA would immediately remove tariffs on wool exports, although New Zealand First has argued its concerns relate to broader elements of the agreement rather than trade itself.
After arriving in India, Patterson responded to the political debate while highlighting the commercial purpose of the visit.
Sharing details of his delegation’s activities, Patterson revealed he had a surprise meeting with Indian Parliament Speaker Om Birla.
“I had the very great honour of a meeting with the Indian Speaker of the Parliament Hon Om Birla. The third highest ranked politician in India.”
Patterson said the meeting was not planned. The New Zealand delegation had been visiting the Indian Parliament to see its famous New Zealand strong wool carpet when Speaker Birla learned they were there and offered to personally meet them. “The Indian Parliament has a magnificent New Zealand Strong Wool carpet, hand knotted by some 900 highly skilled craftspeople. Absolutely exquisite,” Patterson said.
He said the delegation was in India to support New Zealand’s wool industry at Bharat Tex 2026, where thousands of international buyers and trade visitors are expected.
“India is New Zealand’s second largest export market for wool. India have an ambition of tripling the size of their textile industry and New Zealand Wool has a massive opportunity to help them.”
Addressing criticism of the visit, Patterson said there had been “blatant politicking” back home regarding the trip and New Zealand First’s position on the FTA.
He reiterated that New Zealand First was not opposed to trade with India. “It is well documented that it is not the trade element of the deal we are opposed to,” Patterson said.
Under the FTA, wool tariffs would fall from 2.75 per cent to zero, which he described as useful but “not a game changer” by itself.
“We have much higher ambition for lifting the value of wool to New Zealand farmers. Opening doors for our commercial sector is my role and today we made a strong start. Tomorrow Bharat Tex begins.”
New Zealand First has previously raised concerns about immigration settings and the interpretation of a clause relating to promoting $34 billion in investment into India. The Government’s other coalition partners, National and ACT, argue the clause is about encouraging investment rather than creating a binding investment obligation.
Trade Minister Todd McClay has maintained that both sides understand the clause in the same way.
Meanwhile, Patterson said the government remained committed to strengthening the wool industry, pointing to more than $65 million of investment across 25 projects aimed at innovation, high-value wool products, collaboration and supply-chain improvements.
During his India visit, Patterson is also scheduled to meet textile industry leaders, manufacturers, researchers and India’s textile minister.
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