https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=New_Zealand%E2%80%93India_Free_Trade_AgreementNew Zealand–India Free Trade Agreement - Revision history2026-08-29T16:36:15ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=New_Zealand%E2%80%93India_Free_Trade_Agreement&diff=521802&oldid=prevNellDarley: Started The Entry More To Come.2026-05-05T05:32:24Z<p>Started The Entry More To Come.</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Free trade agreement between New Zealand and India}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}}<br />
{{Use New Zealand English|date=April 2026}}<br />
{{Infobox treaty<br />
| name = New Zealand–India Free Trade Agreement<br />
| long_name = <br />
| image = <br />
| image_size = <br />
| alt = <!-- alt-text here for accessibility; see [[MOS:ACCESS]] --><br />
| caption = <br />
| type = [[Free Trade Agreement]]<br />
| context = [[Trade agreement]] between New Zealand and India<br />
| date_drafted = <br />
| date_signed = 27 April 2026<br />
| location_signed = [[New Delhi]], India<br />
| date_sealed = <br />
| date_effective = <br />
| condition_effective = <br />
| amendment = <br />
| date_expiration = <!-- {{End date|YYYY|MM|DD}} OR: --><br />
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| provisional_application = <br />
| mediators = <!-- format this as a bullet list --><br />
| negotiators = <br />
| original_signatories = <!-- format this as a bullet list --><br />
| signatories = <!-- format this as a bullet list --><br />
| parties = * {{flagicon image|Flag of New Zealand.svg}} [[New Zealand]]<br />
* {{flagicon image|Flag of India.svg}} [[India]]<br />
| ratifiers = <!-- format this as a bullet list --><br />
| depositor = <!-- OR: --><br />
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| citations = <!-- format as XX [[Article on Treaty Series|TS]] YYY --><br />
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}}<br />
The '''New Zealand—India Free Trade Agreement''' is a bilateral [[free trade agreement]] between [[New Zealand]] and [[India]] signed on 27 April 2026. <ref>{{Cite news |date=28 April 2026 |title=New Zealand and India sign landmark free trade agreement |url=https://www.1news.co.nz/2026/04/28/new-zealand-and-india-sign-landmark-free-trade-agreement/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260427224913/https://www.1news.co.nz/2026/04/28/new-zealand-and-india-sign-landmark-free-trade-agreement/ |archive-date=27 April 2026 |access-date=28 April 2026 |work=[[1News]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Tupa'i |first=Zeb |date=28 April 2026 |title=New Zealand and India sign landmark free trade agreement |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/india-new-zealand-free-trade-deal-cuts-tariffs-on-key-kiwi-exports/D422QIVZJNCELMGKH5X4D6O7BI/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260427225005/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/india-new-zealand-free-trade-deal-cuts-tariffs-on-key-kiwi-exports/D422QIVZJNCELMGKH5X4D6O7BI/ |archive-date=27 April 2026 |access-date=28 April 2026 |work=[[New Zealand Herald]]}}</ref> It has not yet come into effect.<ref>{{cite web |title=New Zealand-India Free Trade Agreement |url=https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/trade/free-trade-agreements/free-trade-agreements-concluded-but-not-in-force/new-zealand-india-free-trade-agreement |publisher=[[Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (New Zealand)|New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Relations]] |access-date=29 April 2026 |url-status=live}}</ref><br />
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==Background==<br />
Bilateral merchandise trade was worth US$1.3 billion in 2024–2025, with total trade in goods and services of US$2.4 billion in 2024.<ref name="Salve 22 Dec 2025">{{cite news |last1=Salve |first1=Priyanca |title=India and New Zealand announce trade pact making majority of goods trade duty free |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/22/india-new-zealand-fta-trade-deal.html |access-date=22 December 2025 |work=[[CNBC]] |date=22 December 2025}}</ref> As of April 2026, bilateral trade between India and New Zealand was worth an estimated NZ$3.95 billion.<ref name="1News 28 Apr 2026">{{cite news |title=New Zealand and India sign landmark free trade agreement |url=https://www.1news.co.nz/2026/04/28/new-zealand-and-india-sign-landmark-free-trade-agreement/ |access-date=29 April 2026 |work=[[1News]] |date=28 April 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260427235524/https://www.1news.co.nz/2026/04/28/new-zealand-and-india-sign-landmark-free-trade-agreement/ |archive-date=27 April 2026 |url-status=live}}</ref><br />
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==History==<br />
On 22 December 2025, the Indian and New Zealand governments announced plans to sign a [[free trade agreement]] in 2026. The agreement would eliminate tariffs on 95% of New Zealand exports to India including [[kiwifruit]]s, [[apple]]s, meat, wool, coal, and forestry. While certain New Zealand dairy exports such as re-exports and bulk infant formula will be duty-free, most dairy products will still be subject to tariffs. Milk [[albumin]]s will be subject to a 50 percent tariff cut under a quota programme.<ref name="RNZ 22 Dec 2025">{{cite news |title=FTA with India: 'Bad deal' or 'strategically significant milestone'? |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/582507/fta-with-india-bad-deal-or-strategically-significant-milestone |access-date=22 December 2025 |work=[[RNZ]] |date=22 December 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251222204713/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/582507/fta-with-india-bad-deal-or-strategically-significant-milestone |archive-date=22 December 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Salve 22 Dec 2025" /> In return, New Zealand will eliminate duties on all Indian exports, including textiles, apparel, leather, footwear, marine products, gems and jewelry, handicrafts, engineering goods and automobiles. In addition, New Zealand will invest US$20 billion in India over the next twenty years and improve visa access for Indian professionals, skilled workers and students.<ref name="Salve 22 Dec 2025" /> The NZ-India free trade agreement would also allow 5,000 Indian temporary migrants to enter New Zealand for the next three years, with a focus on information technology, engineering, healthcare, education, construction workers, Indian traditional medicine practitioners, yoga instructors, chefs and music teachers.<ref name="Macduff 27 Apr 2026">{{cite news |last1=Macduff |first1=Keiller |title=Council of trade unions calls for transparency on India-New Zealand Free Trade agreement |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/593522/council-of-trade-unions-calls-for-transparency-on-india-new-zealand-free-trade-agreement |access-date=29 April 2026 |work=[[Radio New Zealand]] |date=27 April 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260427152559/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/593522/council-of-trade-unions-calls-for-transparency-on-india-new-zealand-free-trade-agreement |archive-date=27 April 2026 |url-status=live}}</ref> <br />
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Several New Zealand agricultural and industrial bodies, including Export NZ, the NZ Forest Owners Association, the Meat Industry Association, [[Beef + Lamb New Zealand]], Horticulture New Zealand, NZ Timber Industry Federation, and Wools of New Zealand, welcomed the free trade agreement. The Dairy Companies Association expressed disappointment that core products such as butter and cheese had been excluded from the agreement. [[New Zealand First]] leader [[Winston Peters]] opposed the agreement on the grounds that it disadvantaged New Zealand's dairy industry and boosted Indian immigration to New Zealand. Peters invoked the party's "agree to disagree" provision of its coalition agreement with the [[Sixth National Government of New Zealand|National-led coalition government]].<ref name="RNZ 22 Dec 2025" /> Concerns about the impact of the free trade agreement on migrant labour exploitation, transparency and the impact of immigration on unemployment, housing infrastructure, and race relations were also raised by the [[New Zealand Council of Trade Unions]], the [[Maritime Union of New Zealand]], NZ First deputy leader [[Shane Jones]] and [[Waatea News]] editor Matthew Tukaki.<ref name="Macduff 27 Apr 2026" /><ref>{{cite web |last1=Tukaki |first1=Matthew |title=Trade or Trade-Off? The Real Stakes Behind the NZ–India Agreement |url=https://waateanews.com/2026/04/23/analysis-trade-or-trade-off-the-real-stakes-behind-the-nz-india-agreement/ |website=[[Waatea News]] |access-date=29 April 2026|date=23 Apr 2026}}</ref><br />
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On 23 April 2026, Labour Party leader [[Chris Hipkins]] confirmed that his party would support legislation enabling the agreement, giving the [[New Zealand National Party|National]] and [[ACT New Zealand|ACT]] parties the votes in Parliament needed, given that New Zealand First would vote against it.<ref>{{cite news |last=McCulloch |first=Craig |title=Chris Hipkins announces Labour will back India free trade bill |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/593185/chris-hipkins-announces-labour-will-back-india-free-trade-deal |access-date=23 April 2026 |work=[[Radio New Zealand]] |date=23 April 2026}}</ref> The free trade agreement was signed by NZ Trade and Investment Minister [[Todd McClay]] and Indian Commerce and Industry Minister [[Piyush Goyal]] in [[New Delhi]] on 27 April. New Zealand Prime Minister [[Christopher Luxon]] also attended the signing ceremony.<ref name="1News 28 Apr 2026" /><br />
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== References ==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
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==External links==<br />
*{{cite web |title=Full text of the New Zealand-India Free Trade Agreement |url=https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/trade/free-trade-agreements/free-trade-agreements-concluded-but-not-in-force/new-zealand-india-free-trade-agreement/text-of-the-agreement |publisher=[[Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (New Zealand)|New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Relations]] |access-date=29 April 2026}}<br />
<br />
{{New Zealand bilateral relations}}<br />
{{Free trade agreements of New Zealand}}<br />
{{Economy of New Zealand}}<br />
{{Foreign relations of India}}<br />
<br />
{{DEFAULTSORT:New Zealand-India Free Trade Agreement}}<br />
[[Category:Free trade agreements of New Zealand]]<br />
[[Category:Free trade agreements of India]]<br />
[[Category:Treaties of New Zealand]]<br />
[[Category:Treaties of India]]<br />
[[Category:India–New Zealand relations]]<br />
[[Category:Bilateral treaties of New Zealand]]<br />
[[Category:Economy of New Zealand]]<br />
[[Category:Economy of India]]<br />
[[Category:2026 in New Zealand]]</div>NellDarley