India has concluded negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with New Zealand, marking its 18th such pact aimed at strengthening bilateral trade and investment ties. The agreement is expected to be signed within the next three months and could come into force in 2026.
Under the FTA, all Indian goods—including labour-intensive products such as textiles, leather, plastics and engineering goods—will receive zero-duty access to the New Zealand market. This is expected to significantly enhance India’s export competitiveness and support domestic manufacturing.
New Zealand has also committed to invest up to USD 20 billion in India over the next 15 years, providing a major boost to foreign direct investment. On the services front, India has secured improved market access in high-value sectors such as IT and IT-enabled services, professional services, education, finance, tourism, construction and other business services.
A key feature of the agreement is the creation of a new Temporary Employment Entry Visa pathway for Indian professionals. This will allow up to 5,000 skilled Indian workers at any given time to work in New Zealand for stays of up to three years, opening new international employment opportunities.
Overall, the India–New Zealand FTA is expected to deepen economic cooperation, expand trade flows, attract long-term investment and create new avenues for skilled employment.
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