India-New Zealand trade deal signed in April takes centre stage ahead of Modi’s Auckland visit

A Free Trade Agreement signed by India and New Zealand in April is taking centre stage ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day state visit to Auckland, beginning July 10 — the first state visit by an Indian prime minister to New Zealand in nearly four decades.

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced this week that 57% of the country’s exports to India will be tariff-free from day one under the agreement, while all Indian exports will receive duty-free access to the New Zealand market in return. “We are taking the two countries’ relationship to the next level with our New Zealand-India Free Trade Agreement,” Luxon said, describing it as a deal that “will deliver more jobs, higher exports and stronger economic growth for New Zealand.”

The agreement gives New Zealand exporters access to a consumer market of 1.4 billion people, and for India, is expected to strengthen its presence in a high-income Pacific economy as part of its broader Indo-Pacific economic strategy.

During the visit, Modi is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Luxon to review trade, commerce and defence cooperation between the two countries, in addition to meeting business and sports leaders and addressing the Indian diaspora.