The teams were confronted with cool and overcast conditions with the toss delayed by 15 minutes. Further rain showers are expected later in the day.
New Zealand kept faith with the side that won the final two tests against West Indies late last year.
Top-order batsmen Peter Fulton and Hamish Rutherford, wicketkeeper BJ Watling and bowlers Ish Sodhi, Trent Boult and Neil Wagner returned to the team after missing the limited-overs series.
India's bowlers struggled in the 4-0 one-day series defeat by New Zealand and left-arm seamer Zaheer Khan was included in the test team, with the tall Ishant Sharma joining him and Mohammed Shami in a three-pronged pace attack.
New Zealand - Brendon McCullum (captain), Peter Fulton, Hamish Rutherford, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Corey Anderson, BJ Watling, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, Trent Boult
India - Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kholi, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravinda Jadeja, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami.