Santiago, Sep 24 (IANS) The Indian tennis team will play its next Davis Cup tie in July 2016 after they were handed a first round bye in the Group 1 Asia/Oceania draw.

Being the top seeds in the group, announced here on September 21, India got a first round bye and will play winner of the match between New Zealand and South Korea in the second round from July 15 to 17.

New Zealand will visit South Korea from March 4 to 6, 2016, to decide who will play India. India beat both countries the last time they played.

India lost their chance to qualify for the elite World Group when they lost the playoff to the Czech Republic 1-3 in New Delhi last weekend.

In the lower half of the draw, second seeds Uzbekistan will play the winner of the first round match between Pakistan and China in the second round.

The draws were announced here on Wednesday evening at the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Annual General Meeting (AGM).

Individual draws were made for the 2016 World Group, Americas Zone Group I, Asia/Oceania Zone Groups I and II, and Europe/Africa Zone Group I. The draws for Americas Zone Group II and Europe/Africa Zone Group II will be held following the three remaining Davis Cup play-offs from October 30 to November 1.

Next year’s World Group final will be held from November 25 to 27 while this year’s final between Belgium and Great Britain will be held in Ghent from November 27 to 29.