India has condemned a New Zealand TV host for mocking the surname of New Delhi's chief minister Sheila Dikshit.

India summoned New Zealand's high commissioner to complain about what it said were racist remarks made by breakfast show host Paul Henry.

Henry repeatedly ridiculed Ms Dikshit's name on air, saying:"I've known about her for a while and I've been laughing ever since."

He added: "It's so appropriate because she's Indian."

He persisted in ridiculing her name despite being told that its proper pronunciation was "Dixit".

New Zealand apologised for the remarks, which it said were culturally insensitive and vulgar, and did not reflect the views of the government or the population.

Ms Dikshit told Indian news channel Headlines Today that she had taken the jokes in her stride, but added: "It's for the government of India... to take note of all this and give them an appropriate request or action."

The TVNZ host had already been suspended over other remarks questioning the background of New Zealand's Indo-Fijian governor-general Anand Satyanand, who was born in Auckland to Indo-Fijian parents.

He was suspended by TVNZ Tuesday after the television station received dozens of complaints over those remarks.

The controversial host made an on-air apology shortly before his suspension was announced, saying "I certainly didn't intend to sound racist", but invited further controversy by referring to himself as "half-gyppo".

- ABC/AFP