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Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal added a touch of humour to the India–New Zealand Business Forum in Auckland on Wednesday, recounting a memorable incident from his first visit to the country, when he received a series of speeding fines that followed him all the way back to India. Speaking before formal trade discussions, Goyal said it was “probably the last time” he ever drove a car. His light-hearted story drew laughter from the audience, setting an easy tone ahead of talks on the India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which is currently in its fourth round of negotiations. Piyush Goyal’s Speeding Fines In New Zealand Get A Hilarious Twist At India-NZ Business Forum In a lighthearted moment at the India-New Zealand Business Forum in Auckland, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal delivered a memorable story about the time he received multiple speeding… pic.twitter.com/XEJRnnIT1S — Augadh (@AugadhBhudeva) November 5, 2025 Sharing the anecdote, Goyal recalled visiting New Zealand years ago as a tourist with his wife and two young children. “Mostly went to the beaches and spent time there, and probably the last time I drove a car was in New Zealand,” he said. He described how he had little experience driving internationally, but friends urged him to rent a car and explore the country. “It was a new experience right from the renting of the car — it was quite a new thing for me,” he quipped. After returning to India, Goyal said he began receiving letters from the New Zealand government addressed to his parents’ home. “My mother used to ask, why is the government of New Zealand writing to you so often?” he laughed, explaining that the letters were speeding fines. The minister said the fines kept increasing — from $200 to $800 — as they were linked to how fast he had driven. “I was very tempted not to pay,” he joked. “For a moment I thought, when will I ever come back this far? But imagine if I hadn’t paid those fines, and when I landed here today, I would not have been allowed to enter to your country.” Goyal, who arrived in Auckland on November 5 for a four-day official visit, is meeting his counterpart Todd McClay to review the progress of the negotiations.
