FTA Talks
India, New Zealand conclude fourth round of FTA negotiations
This story was originally published at 11:47 IST on 8 November 2025
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NEW DELHI – India and New Zealand Saturday concluded the fourth round of negotiations for a free trade agreement in Auckland and Rotorua. The two sides, over five days, held engagements across key topics including trade in goods, trade in services, economic and trade cooperation, and rules of origin, the commerce ministry said in a release.
"The discussions reflected the shared ambition to strengthen economic ties and build a mutually beneficial partnership that supports resilient, inclusive, and sustainable growth," the ministry said. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and New Zealand Minister for Trade Todd McClay acknowledged the progress made during the fourth round and reaffirmed their commitment to work towards a modern, comprehensive, and future-ready trade pact.
New Zealand and India restarted talks on a free trade agreement in March, a decade after the first round of negotiations fell through. The two countries had first started working on the agreement in April 2010, but the talks stalled in February 2015 because of disagreements over market access and trade priorities.
India had a bilateral merchandise trade of $1.3 billion with New Zealand in 2024–25 (Apr-Mar), up 49% on year. The proposed trade agreement is expected to unlock further potential in sectors such as agriculture, food processing, renewable energy, pharmaceuticals, education, and services, the ministry said.
"The Ministers noted that the proposed FTA is expected to significantly enhance trade flows, deepen investment linkages, strengthen supply-chain resilience, and provide greater predictability and market access for businesses in both countries," the ministry said. "Both sides agreed to sustain momentum through inter-sessional work and continue detailed discussions across all chapters with a shared determination to move towards early convergence on the India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement." End
US$1 = INR 88.66
Reported by Shubham Rana
Edited by Deepshikha Bhardwaj
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