India–New Zealand FTA Kicks Off, Opens New Opportunities for Indian Exporters

New Delhi:

Port Wings News Network:

Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal and New Zealand’s Minister for Trade and Investment, Todd McClay, jointly announced through a virtual conference that the India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) coming into force on 20 October 2026, on the occasion of Vijay Dashmi, a day symbolising victory and new beginnings.

Speaking on the occasion, Piyush Goyal said, “Ours is a winning partnership, both on and off the field. The success of this agreement will be measured by the opportunities it creates and the difference it makes to the lives of the people of New Zealand and India. For India, 100% duty-free access to the New Zealand market opens significant new opportunities for our exporters, particularly MSMEs, artisans, farmers, and women entrepreneurs. For our farmers, the agreement combines new opportunities with appropriate safeguards. The Agricultural Productivity Partnership, with action plans for apples, kiwifruit and honey, establishment of Centres of Excellence, promote better orchard management, reduce post-harvest losses, and improve agricultural productivity, supporting stronger farm incomes across the country. The agreement also aligns with the vision of our Hon’ble Prime Minister for Viksit Bharat 2047: that is a developed and prosperous India built on competitiveness, innovation, productive capacity, and inclusive prosperity when India celebrates 100 years of independence.”

Todd McClay, stated, “The entry into force of India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement is a watershed moment in the relationship between our two countries. For New Zealand exporters, the FTA opens the door to 1.4 billion consumers and one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies. New Zealand’s current exports to India will benefit from tariff elimination or substantial tariff reductions. At the same time, all Indian goods will be able to enter New Zealand duty-free, creating new opportunities for Indian exporters and placing them on a level playing field with New Zealand’s other FTA partners. The success of this agreement will ultimately be measured by the opportunities it creates and the extent to which our businesses use it.”

Secretary, Department of Commerce, Rajesh Agrawal, said, “FTAs are about creating a deep economic partnership between countries. As a part of the FTA, we see this partnership also driving a lot of New Zealand investment in India. All the other big economies around the Pacific have got a much deeper trade with New Zealand. This FTA opens up the opportunity that we can also be a major contributor to the bilateral trade between India and New Zealand. The job is now to translate this opportunity into actual benefits for our people. We are working with all the Industry and the associations to take this message forward to every district across the country.”

On the occasion, the first-ever export of a JCB machine from India to New Zealand was flagged off by the Union Minister of Commerce and Industry. These initiatives reflect the confidence of Indian manufacturers and the opportunities the Agreement opens up for exporters across the country.