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India-NZ free trade deal to come into force in October

By AAP Newswire

Sep 3, 2026

India's free trade agreement with New Zealand was signed in April by Piyush Goyal and Todd McClay. -AP

The India-New Zealand free trade agreement will come into force from next month, an Indian government official says.

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The pact will take effect on a mutually agreed date, PTI news wire quoted the official saying.

The agreement was signed in April by India's Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and New Zealand Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay.

Negotiated over nine months and agreed in December, the deal will cut or eliminate tariffs on 95 per cent of New Zealand's exports to India, while making all Indian exports to New Zealand duty-free.Â

Wellington has committed to invest $US20 billion ($A28 billion) in India over the next 15 years.

McClay previously said the deal marked a "once in a generation" opportunity to deepen economic ties at a time of rising global trade tensions and uncertainty.

India is New Zealand's 12th-largest export market, with bilateral trade valued at $US2.15 billion in the year through June 2025, according to official data.

with AAP