Overview
- Shane Jones, the NZ First deputy leader and a senior minister, refused to retract his "butter chicken tsunami" line and said he uses hyperbole to get attention.
- Indian community leaders and opposition MPs called the remark racist, with Auckland Indian Association president Shanti Patel and Labour’s Priyanca Radhakrishnan both condemning the language.
- Prime Minister Christopher Luxon distanced the government from the wording and, in Monday’s post‑Cabinet remarks, said claims of a migration surge tied to the deal were absolutely false.
- NZ First has withdrawn support for the India agreement over immigration and investment concerns, so the government is likely to need Labour votes to pass implementing legislation.
- The pact is slated for signing in New Delhi next week, and officials have cited more than 20,000 potential Indian migrants along with an investment of about NZ$34 billion over 15 years.