India Welcomes Passage of Legislation by New Zealand Parliament to Implement Bilateral Free Trade Agreement

Ø India-New Zealand FTA Provides Duty-Free Access for 100 Per Cent of Indian Exports

· Legislation Passed: On September 16, 2026, the Parliament of New Zealand passed legislation to implement the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which was originally signed in New Delhi on April 27, 2026.

· Political Momentum: The historic visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to New Zealand in July 2026—the first by an Indian Prime Minister in 40 years—accelerated bilateral cooperation and prioritized early FTA execution.

· Benefits for Indian Exports: The FTA grants 100% duty-free access for Indian exports to New Zealand from day one, benefiting sectors such as textiles/apparel, leather/footwear, engineering goods, pharmaceuticals, and processed food.

· Benefits for New Zealand Exports: New Zealand gains enhanced, preferential access to the Indian market for products including wood, wool, sheep meat, and raw hides.

· Services, Mobility, & Investment: The agreement facilitates enhanced mobility pathways for Indian professionals, students, and youth, while aiming to enable USD 20 billion in investment into India.

· Strategic Collaboration: Bilateral cooperation will be strengthened across key fields, including agricultural productivity, medical devices, traditional medicine (AYUSH), technology, and trade facilitation.

· Next Steps: Both nations are completing remaining domestic procedures to ensure early entry into force.

[ABS News Service/18.09.2026]

India welcomes the passage of legislation by the Parliament of New Zealand on September 16, 2026, to give effect to the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA), signed in New Delhi on April 27, 2026. The passage of the legislation marks an important step towards bringing the Agreement into force and reflects the shared commitment of India and New Zealand to deepen and broaden their economic partnership.

The visit of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to New Zealand in July 2026, the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to New Zealand in four decades, provided momentum to the bilateral relationship. During the visit, the two Prime Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to deepen economic engagement and emphasised the importance of early implementation of the India-New Zealand FTA.

India and New Zealand share longstanding and close relations, anchored in strong people-to-people ties and expanding cooperation across trade and investment, agriculture, education, sports, technology and other areas. The FTA represents a significant step in further strengthening these ties and creating new opportunities for businesses and communities in both countries.

The Agreement provides duty-free access for 100 per cent of Indian exports to New Zealand from the date of entry into force, opening new opportunities for Indian exports including textiles and apparel, leather and footwear, engineering goods, pharmaceuticals, agriculture and processed food products. At the same time, it provides enhanced and preferential access to the Indian market for New Zealand exports including wood, wool, sheep meat and leather raw hides.

The Agreement also creates new opportunities in services, investment and professional, student and youth mobility, including enhanced pathways for Indian professionals and students. It provides for facilitating USD 20 billion of investment into India and strengthens bilateral cooperation in areas including agricultural productivity, pharmaceuticals and medical devices, traditional medicine and AYUSH, technology and trade facilitation.

India and New Zealand are working closely to complete their respective domestic processes and to facilitate the early entry into force of the Agreement.