'Not helpful': Erica Stanford says Winston Peters' actions risk undermining NZ-India relationship

Immigration Minister Erica Stanford says Winston Peters has broken from usual processes in taking India trade deal discussions public before final Cabinet decisions have been made.

She says the Foreign Affairs Minister's actions risk undermining New Zealand's relationship with India.

"I certainly don't think it's helpful for the relationship that we have with the Indian government for this to be playing out. It's not helpful at all," she told reporters on Tuesday.

Stanford also expressed confusion over Peters' position, noting that he'd previously complained the free trade agreement [FTA] was too generous to India on immigration but was now accusing National of covertly restricting it.

"I'm just trying to do my best as the immigration minister to try and work out what it is that Mr Peters wants," she said.

"He's unhappy about everything when it comes to the FTA."

The push-back comes after Peters - speaking as New Zealand First leader - accused National of secretly planning "special, discriminatory, targeted restrictions just for Indians".

"We told the New Zealand people that [the deal] would mean open-slather immigration from India to New Zealand," Peters told Parliament last week.

"But the National Party has just changed its course - no doubt due to poor polling - and they have done so covertly."

Speaking on Tuesday, Stanford said she could not discuss Peters' claims because no decisions had yet been made.

"We don't talk about things as they're going through the process - other than, of course, Minister Peters is now - but that's not something we do."

Stanford said papers - canvassing a range of options from officials - had been sent to Peters and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for feedback, as well as Trade Minister Todd McClay.

"I've followed the process, it's been sent to his office... and he's chosen to take this route. It's not the usual route we do to talk about this publicly."

Asked directly whether Peters had breached Cabinet confidentiality, Stanford declined to comment: "It's hard to know what Minister Peters is talking about."

Stanford said the government had been "very clear" from the outset that Indians coming to New Zealand under a new visa would not be able to bring partners or children.

She said she was doing her very best to "keep everyone happy... but usually that's a process we go through behind closed doors."