India's Washington Sundar claimed a career-best seven-wicket haul and spin partner Ravichandran Ashwin took three to dismiss New Zealand for 259 before the hosts reached 16-1 at stumps on the opening day of the second Test in Pune on Thursday.
India lost Rohit Sharma early, the skipper bowled by Tim Southee for a nine-ball duck, but Shubman Gill was unbeaten on 10 with Yashasvi Jaiswal six not out at the end of an absorbing day.
Brought into the side in place of Kuldeep Yadav following India's eight-wicket defeat in the series opener in Bengaluru, Washington justified his selection by scything through New Zealand's middle and lower order to finish with 7-59.
Ashwin took 3-64 as India made the most of the turn and grip on offer at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium to dismiss the tourists cheaply after they were well placed at 197-3.
Devon Conway, who fell nine runs short of a ton in the first innings of the Black Caps' series-opening victory, made 76 while Rachin Ravindra scored 65 before Washington took charge and put India in a strong position.
Ravindra scored 134 and 39 not out in the first Test and picked up from where he left off, reaching his fifty with back-to-back fours off Akash Deep as India's shoulders had started to droop late in the afternoon.