India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement to Enter into Force on 20 October 2026

Key facts

• The India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA), signed on 27 April 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, will enter into force on 20 October 2026 following completion of internal processes in both countries.
• The FTA was signed by Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and New Zealand's Minister for Trade and Investment Todd McClay, and New Zealand's Parliament passed the legislation on 16 September 2026.
• From the entry-into-force date, every tariff line covering 100% of India's exports to New Zealand will become duty-free, benefiting textiles and apparel, leather and footwear, gems and jewellery, engineering goods and processed foods.
• Sensitive Indian products such as dairy, animal meat (except sheep), key agricultural commodities, sugar and edible oils are excluded from tariff concessions, while New Zealand apples, kiwifruit and Manuka honey get calibrated access through Tariff Rate Quotas, Minimum Import Prices and seasonal windows.
• New Zealand has committed to facilitate USD 20 billion in investment into India, benefiting agriculture, manufacturing, infrastructure and start-ups.
• Services provisions cover roughly 118 sectors with Most-Favoured Nation treatment across about 139 sub-sectors, including a dedicated quota of 5,000 Temporary Employment Entry visas for skilled Indians and 1,000 annual Working Holiday visas for young Indians.
• The Agreement provides uncapped student mobility with post-study work rights of up to three years for STEM graduates and four years for doctoral scholars.
• New Zealand will accept pharmaceutical and medical-device inspection approvals from regulators such as the US FDA, EMA, UK MHRA and Health Canada.
• India and New Zealand endorsed the Strategic Partnership: Roadmap to 2030, with an aspirational goal of doubling bilateral two-way trade in goods and services to NZ$7 billion (approximately ₹35,000 crore) by 2030.
• Bilateral merchandise trade stood at around USD 1.1 billion in 2025-26.