India and New Zealand on Monday signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA)

India, New Zealand sign ‘historic’ trade deal

 The FTA provides

• The FTA provides zero-duty access for Indian exports, liberalizes 70% of NZ tariff lines, and safeguards sensitive sectors like dairy. 
• It promotes USD 20 billion FDI, skill mobility, and services trade across 118 sectors, creating growth and employment opportunities. 
• Strategically, the FTA strengthens India’s global trade diversification, regional influence, and long-term economic cooperation with developed economies. 

India and New Zealand on Monday signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) 

 

The FTA, signed by 

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and his New Zealand counterpart Todd McClay in New Delhi, 

New Zealand  will remove 

 tariffs on all goods imported from India,

India 

will remove or reduce tariffs on 95% of current imports from New Zealand.

ABOUT The FTA, 

discussions for which were announced in March 2025 and concluded in December 2025, is one of the fastest India has negotiated.

The deal still needs to be ratified by New Zealand’s Parliament, which Mr. McClay said would happen soon while adding that it would come into force within this year.

Gains beyond trade

India’s exports to New Zealand 

Export grew 32.1% in 2024-25 to $711.1 million, the latest full financial year for which data is available. 

Imports from New Zealand grew 75.2% to $587.1 million over the same period.

FTA also includes several provisions 

relating to mobility of working professionals and students from India.

$20 billion in investments into India over the next 15 years

 

The FTA includes a provision wherein New Zealand has committed to facilitate $20 billion in investments into India over the next 15 years.

“Our Make in India flagship initiative -  

offers synergy to New Zealand’s investment commitment of $20 billion in India and delivers a vibrant partnership that goes beyond trade,” Mr. Modi said in his statement.

Types of Trade Agreements: 

Industry hails deal

COMMENTS 

President of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations S.C. Ralhan said - 

“The FTA will open new avenues for Indian exporters by enhancing market access to New Zealand across key sectors such as 

• agriculture, 
• textiles, 
• pharmaceuticals, 
• engineering goods, 
• services such as IT & ITES, 
• business services, 
• engineering, 
• education, 
• construction and health services,” 

The Confederation of India Industry - 

in a statement, said that New Zealand’s commitment to facilitate $20 billion in investment is expected to spur the development of industrial infrastructure, manufacturing ecosystems, and innovation clusters across India.

MAJOR OTHER AGREEMENTS 

India has managed to negotiate the exclusion of several 

key items from the deal

including all dairy products such as 

• milk, 
• cream, 
• whey - 

1 लीटर दूध में कुल लगभग 30-34 ग्राम प्रोटीन होता है। इस कुल प्रोटीन में से, लगभग 20% हिस्सा व्हे प्रोटीन (Whey Protein) होता है और बाकी 80% कैसिइन (Casein) होता है।

इस प्रकार, 1 लीटर दूध में लगभग 6 से 7 ग्राम ही शुद्ध व्हे प्रोटीन होता है। 

• • कुल प्रोटीन: 1 लीटर दूध में 30-34 ग्राम।
  • व्हे प्रोटीन की मात्रा: लगभग 6-7 ग्राम।
  • दूध में मुख्य प्रोटीन: व्हे प्रोटीन के अलावा, दूध में कैसिइन नामक प्रोटीन भी होता है जो शरीर को लंबे समय तक प्रोटीन प्रदान करता है।
   
• yoghurt  - योगर्ट एक पौष्टिक डेयरी उत्पाद है जो दूध को विशिष्ट बैक्टीरिया (लैक्टोबैसिलस बुल्गारिस और स्ट्रेप्टोकोकस थर्मोफिलस) के साथ फॉर्मेंट (किण्वन) करके बनाया जाता है। यह दही के समान होता है लेकिन अधिक गाढ़ा, क्रीमी और नियंत्रित वातावरण में तैयार किया जाता है। यह प्रोबायोटिक्स, कैल्शियम और प्रोटीन का बेहतरीन स्रोत है, जो पाचन और हड्डियों के स्वास्थ्य के लिए फायदेमंद है

• 
  
   
• cheese, etc.,

•  animal products other than sheep meat, 
• vegetable products suchn  -  as onions, chana, peas, corn, almonds, etc., sugar, artificial honey, animal, vegetable or microbial fats and oils, arms and ammunition, gems and jewellery, and copper and aluminium and products.