国际英语新闻：New Zealand begins negotiations for free trade deal with India

WELLINGTON, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand and India have begun negotiations for a free trade agreement, New Zealand Trade Minister Tim Groser said in Switzerland.

Groser met India's Commerce Minister Sri Anana Sharma in Switzerland, they were there for a World Trade Organization trade ministers meeting, New Zealand Herald reported on Monday.

Groser said the agreement would put New Zealand in a prime place to benefit from India's economic growth.

Although negotiations with India have been expected for some time, India did not formally agree until last week.

Groser said a deal held "great promise" for New Zealand businesses and negotiators would target the high barriers to trade. India had a population of more than 1 billion and was expected to be the third-largest economy in the world by 2025.

He said that despite barriers, India was one of New Zealand's fastest-growing markets and exports had tripled in the past decade.

The New Zealand cabinet approved talks last March after the previous government began the process of studies to analyse the benefits of a deal.

However, India's cabinet committee only gave approval last week. The delay was partly because of India's elections in mid-2009.