The Indian community in New Zealand contributed an estimated $37.3 billion to the country's economy in the year to March 2025, equivalent to 8.6 per cent of New Zealand's gross domestic product — a share that far exceeds the community's roughly 6 per cent population footprint, according to a new report cited by New Zealand broadcaster RNZ.

The findings were based on figures released by the Waitākere Indian Association, with the study supported by New Zealand's Ministry of Ethnic Communities and the Indian High Commission.

Scale of Economic Contribution

The Indian diaspora in New Zealand supported 2,20,910 full-time equivalent jobs during the period under review. Nearly three-quarters of the community's total measured economic output came through Indian-owned businesses, of which approximately 34,000 were active in the financial year 2024.

Kiwi Indian households accounted for a further one quarter of the contribution through consumption spending, while Indian international students and Indian visitors together made up the remaining 2 per cent, according to the report.

A Community Punching Above Its Weight

Census and administrative data recorded 2,92,092 people of Indian heritage in New Zealand in 2023, making Indians the country's third-largest ethnic group. Despite representing less than one in seventeen New Zealanders, the community's economic footprint is disproportionately large — a pattern the report attributes to relatively younger age profiles, higher qualification levels, and a rising rate of self-employment.

Census 2023 data showed Kiwi Indians aged 15 or above earned a median personal income of $51,600 per annum — the highest among all ethnicities in New Zealand — against a national average of $41,500.

Sharp Growth Since 2019

The scale of the contribution represents a dramatic acceleration. The Indian community's economic input was estimated at $10 billion in 2019, roughly 3.3 per cent of New Zealand's GDP at the time. The jump to $37.3 billion by March 2025 reflects both demographic expansion and a marked shift toward entrepreneurship within the community.

This comes amid a broader global recognition of the Indian diaspora's economic heft — from the United States to the United Kingdom — where communities of Indian origin consistently outperform national income and employment averages.

What Officials Said

Pratima Namasivayam, Chief Executive of the Ministry of Ethnic Communities, said the findings pointed to 'a growing, highly qualified Indian community which is becoming increasingly entrepreneurial and making a significant impact across New Zealand's economy.'

Outlook

The report's authors noted that the defining characteristics of the Indian community — younger demographics, higher educational attainment, and growing self-employment — suggest its economic contribution will continue to expand in the years ahead. With the community's GDP share having nearly tripled in six years, the trajectory points firmly upward.