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India scored in the dying seconds to beat New Zealand 3-2 and begin their campaign in the men’s hockey tournament at the Paris Olympics on a rousing note on Saturday.
New Zealand took the lead in the eighth minute through Sam Lane from their first penalty-corner.
However, India came back strongly. They restored parity in the 24th minute through Mandeep Singh, who scored from a rebound off a penalty-corner, and then took the lead through Vivek Sagar Prasad in the third quarter.
New Zealand, however, drew level in the 53rd minute through Simon Child.
But skipper Harmanpreet Singh scoring from a penalty stroke just a minute from the hooter to give India victory.
India will play Argentina in their next Pool B match on Monday.
In the day's other matches, Germany silenced the local crowds chants of "Allez les bleues" with an 8-2 thumping of hosts France to give them the goal differential lead in Pool A.
South Africa also gave the dynamic Netherlands a scare after the Dutch team racked up a four-goal lead before the end of the half but struggled to apply pressure after the break, conceding two more goals to win 5-3 in Group A opener.
Second-ranked Britain walloped Spain 4-0 in the early Pool A game while in Pool B reigning champions Belgium won 2-0 against an Ireland team that missed qualifying for the Tokyo Games and Australia edged Argentina 1-0 in the tightest game so far.
So far 22 goals have been scored in the men's Pool A, compared with only eight in Pool B.
India went on the offensive from the outset with skipper Harmanpreet and Abhsihek pressing hard before the Kiwis scored in the eight minute through Lane from their first penalty-corner.
Stunned by the early reverse, the eight-time Olympic champions pressed hard and controlled the proceedings by utilizing both flanks to build their attacks and drew level in the 24th minute through a penalty-corner when Mandeep scored from a rebound after Harmanpreet's flick was saved by New Zealand goalkeeper Dominic Dixon.
Two minutes after the change of ends, Dixon saved Mandeep's reverse shot from the top of the circle.
Vivek scored from a goalmouth melee four minutes into the second half to give India the lead.
New Zealand pressed hard and secured four back-to-back penalty-corners which yielded no result.
With time ticking off, the Black Sticks secured two more penalty-corners in quick succession, the second of which was successful as Child converted off a rebound to level the scores.
But that was not the end of the match as the Indians applied relentless pressure in search of victory and in the process Sukhjeet Singh earned a penalty-corner with his smart play, which resulted into another set-piece move.
The second penalty-corner turned was turned into a penalty stroke for after the drag flick from Harmapreet hit Child on the body. India’s skipper made no mistake to clinch victory.
India will be worried about their penalty-corner conversions. They earned five but converted just one. New Zealand had nine set pieces and converted two.