Archive · 23 Dec 2025
India, New Zealand Conclude Free Trade Agreement
India and New Zealand have finished talking about a big trade deal.
This deal will make it cheaper and easier for both countries to sell things to each other.
New Zealand will be able to sell more of its products to India, like wool, fruit, and wood.
India will be able to sell more medicines, machines, and petroleum products to New Zealand.
The deal will also help people from both countries work and study in each other's countries.
India has recently made similar deals with Oman and the UK.
The two countries want to double their trade in the next five years and have big plans for the future.
India and New Zealand concluded negotiations for a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on December 22, 2025, following a phone call between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and New Zealand PM Christopher Luxon.
The FTA aims to reduce or eliminate tariffs on 95% of New Zealand's exports to India, with more than half of the products set to be duty-free from day one, boosting trade and investment between the two countries.
The agreement covers trade in goods, services, and investment, and is expected to open up new growth opportunities in sectors such as IT, education, tourism, and healthcare, as well as enhance mobility opportunities for professionals and students.
New Zealand is projected to increase its exports to India from $1.1 billion to $1.3 billion per year over the coming two decades, with a target to double bilateral trade in the next five years and a commitment to invest $20 billion in India over 15 years.
The FTA is expected to benefit farmers, MSMEs, workers, artisans, and women, promoting inclusive and sustainable growth, and is the seventh FTA India has signed in recent years, following deals with Oman, the UK, EFTA countries, the UAE, Australia, and Mauritius.
- Who
- India and New Zealand
- What
- Conclusion of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations
- When
- December 22, 2025
- Where
- India and New Zealand
- Why
- To boost bilateral trade, investment, and economic cooperation, and to provide market access and opportunities for various sectors
- Countries Involved
- India and New Zealand
- Negotiation Start Date
- May 2025 (revived in March 2025)
- Expected Signing Time
- Within the next three months
- Key Sectors for Cooperation
- Dairy, food processing, pharma, renewable energy, IT, healthcare, aviation, education, tourism, and services
- Recent Trade Deals
- Oman (July 2025), UK (July 2025)
- New Zealand's Exports to India (2023-24)
- $0.84 billion
- New Zealand's Imports from India (2023-24)
- $0.91 billion
- Total Trade Volume (2023-24)
- $1.75 billion
- Bilateral Trade in FY25
- $1.3 billion (India's exports $711.1 million, imports $587.1 million)
- India's Average Import Tariff
- 17.8%
- New Zealand's Average Import Tariff
- 2.3%
- New Zealand's Investment in India
- $20 billion over 15 years
- Expected Increase in NZ Exports to India
- $1.1 billion to $1.3 billion per year over two decades
- Temporary Employment Entry Visa Quota
- 5,000 visas for Indian professionals
Sources
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