India-New Zealand FTA Signed, Unlocks $20 Billion Gateway
Piyush Goyal calls landmark pact a defining milestone for exports, MSMEs and Viksit Bharat 2047
- Piyush Goyal signs historic FTA with New Zealand
- 100% duty-free access for Indian exports to New Zealand
- $20 billion investment commitment to India
- Major gains for MSMEs, farmers, startups, students and professionals
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 27th April: India and New Zealand on Monday signed a landmark Free Trade Agreement (FTA), marking a major strategic and economic breakthrough aimed at significantly expanding bilateral trade, investment and sectoral cooperation.
The agreement was signed at Bharat Mandapam by Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and New Zealand Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay.
Describing the pact as a defining milestone, Goyal said the FTA aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Viksit Bharat 2047 vision and would empower farmers, youth, women, artisans, MSMEs and innovators through expanded global opportunities.
Under the agreement, India secures 100% duty-free market access for exports to New Zealand, covering all tariff lines and significantly boosting labour-intensive sectors such as textiles, leather, engineering goods, footwear, processed foods and gems.
New Zealand has also committed $20 billion in investment into India, targeting agriculture, manufacturing, infrastructure, innovation, renewable energy, startups and emerging technologies.
The pact offers Indian service providers access across 118 sectors, along with enhanced student mobility, post-study work rights, professional visas and new employment pathways for Indian skilled workers.
Sensitive domestic sectors such as dairy and critical agricultural products remain protected under calibrated exclusions, safeguarding Indian farmers and rural economies.
The FTA also includes pioneering provisions for AYUSH, traditional medicine, organics, intellectual property expansion, and productivity partnerships in horticulture, honey and agri-tech.
Officials said the agreement represents one of India’s fastest-concluded trade deals with a developed nation and is expected to substantially deepen India’s Indo-Pacific economic footprint.
