India, New Zealand announce conclusion of FTA negotiations

India and New Zealand successfully concluded negotiations for a comprehensive escaped commercialized agreement, Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Christopher Luxon announced connected Monday (December 22, 2025) pursuing a telephone telephone betwixt the leaders.

This is India’s seventh FTA successful the past fewer years aft Oman, UK, EFTA countries, UAE, Australia and Mauritius.

Government sources said that the 2 leaders agreed that the conclusion of the FTA successful “a grounds clip of 9 months reflects the shared ambition and governmental volition to further deepen ties betwixt the 2 countries”.

“The FTA would importantly deepen bilateral economical engagement, heighten marketplace access, beforehand concern flows, fortify strategical practice betwixt the 2 countries, and besides unfastened up caller opportunities for innovators, entrepreneurs, farmers, MSMEs, students and younker of some countries crossed assorted sectors,” said the source.

Both leaders expressed assurance successful doubling bilateral commercialized implicit the adjacent 5 years arsenic good arsenic an concern of $20 cardinal successful India from New Zealand implicit the adjacent 15 years.

Tariffs reduced

In a connection posted connected societal media, Mr. Luxon revealed that the FTA reduces oregon removes tariffs connected 95% of New Zealand exports to India. The statement is projected to boost New Zealand’s exports to India by $1.1 cardinal to $1.3 cardinal annually implicit the adjacent 2 decades.

“Boosting commercialized means much Kiwi jobs, higher wages and much opportunities for hard moving New Zealanders,” Mr. Luxon said successful his announcement. “The statement builds connected the beardown relationship betwixt our 2 countries.”

The negotiations began successful March 2025 erstwhile Mr. Luxon visited India and met with Mr. Modi, and progressed done 4 rounds of talks.