New Delhi, Sept. 23: India and New Zealand are strengthening trade, investment and maritime cooperation after upgrading their relationship to a Strategic Partnership in July 2026.
The partnership followed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to New Zealand in July. The two countries also adopted a Roadmap to 2030 for closer cooperation.
New Zealand’s Parliament passed legislation for the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement on September 16. The agreement will enter into force on October 20, 2026.
India, New Zealand Expand Trade and Maritime Cooperation
The FTA will provide duty-free access in New Zealand for 100 percent of Indian exports from the first day of implementation.
For New Zealand, tariffs on 95 percent of exports to India will eventually be eliminated or reduced. About 57 percent of New Zealand exports will become duty-free immediately.
The two countries have set an ambitious target of doubling two-way trade in goods and services to NZ$7 billion, or around Rs 35,000 crore, by 2030.
The agreement is expected to expand cooperation in areas including agriculture, food processing, manufacturing, technology, education and investment.
The Strategic Partnership also provides for deeper defence and maritime cooperation. The two countries plan to conduct regular bilateral naval exercises under their Maritime Cooperation Arrangement.
The partnership includes cooperation on maritime security, hydrography, logistics and information exchange.
Both sides also plan an annual Maritime Security Dialogue and cooperation under the maritime security pillar of India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative.
The expanded maritime engagement is intended to support cooperation on maritime awareness, secure sea lanes, disaster response and regional security.
For India, closer ties with New Zealand strengthen engagement with the wider Oceania region. For New Zealand, the FTA provides greater access to the Indian market and supports efforts to diversify its export base.
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