The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) is interested in hearing from businesses that export services to India, to identify ways that the proposed free trade agreement could help them.

In particular, it is interested if businesses have encountered an regulatory barriers when doing business there.

These include restrictions placed on individuals, such as difficulties over the recognition of qualifications, problems obtaining business visas or requirements to obtain local licences.

MFAT is also interested in hearing about restrictions on investors, including requirements to operate in joint ventures with Indian partners, requirements to employ locals or restrictions on the ability of New Zealanders to be transferred to work in subsidiaries or affiliates in India, local representation requirements for boards of directors and restrictions on the ability to invest in a new enterprise or invest equity in an Indian company.

It also wants to hear about financial or business restrictions encountered, such as restrictions on supplying services from New Zealand, including over the internet, difficulties competing with Indian firms who benefit from government preferences, or complex and discriminatory Indian regulations.