India-New Zealand FTA: Boosts Trade, Investment & Cooperation

New Delhi, Aug 27 (PTI) India and New Zealand should leverage their recently signed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to deepen trade, investment and economic cooperation across sectors, including housing, infrastructure, smart cities, energy, water and food security, industry leaders said on Thursday.

The agreement, which provides duty-free access to New Zealand for 100 per cent of Indian exports, offers significant scope for businesses in the two countries to expand market access, forge partnerships and step up investment, they said at an interactive session on "India-New Zealand Trade Opportunities" organised by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) here.

Participants at the session included government officials, industry leaders, experts, business representatives and stakeholders from the two countries.

India and New Zealand signed the FTA on April 27 this year after concluding negotiations in December 2025. The pact is expected to boost trade and investment ties and provide enhanced market access for Indian goods and services in New Zealand.

The agreement gives Indian exporters duty-free access across all tariff lines once it enters into force, with labour-intensive sectors such as textiles, apparel, leather, footwear, gems and jewellery, engineering goods and processed foods among those expected to benefit.

New Zealand's former foreign affairs minister Nanaia Mahuta highlighted the opportunity presented by the India-New Zealand FTA to deepen bilateral engagement.

She stressed the importance of people-to-people connections and greater exchanges between delegations, while identifying energy, water and food security as key areas for building resilience through stronger trade, knowledge-sharing and collaboration.

PHDCCI Infrastructure & Road Development Committee Co-Chair Adarsh Kumar said the strong people-to-people ties between India and New Zealand provided a foundation for expanding economic cooperation.

He noted that with the FTA creating new opportunities, the focus should be on translating market access into meaningful partnerships, particularly in housing, infrastructure, sustainable construction and smart cities.

The housing sector also emerged as an important area for bilateral cooperation. Te Matapihi National Maori Housing Aotearoa CEO Ali Hamlin-Paenga highlighted the need to look beyond housing as physical infrastructure and focus on building the capability and capacity of families and communities.


She noted the potential for India-New Zealand cooperation through the exchange of business management practices, knowledge and expertise to develop stronger and more sustainable housing and community development models.

On urban development, Gurugram and Faridabad Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) Head IT Governance & Advisor and Head Smart City Division Susheel Kumar shared perspectives on India's evolving smart cities ecosystem.

Referring to the experience of the 100 smart cities, he highlighted opportunities emerging as India prepares for the next phase of smart city development and emphasised the scope for India-New Zealand cooperation in smart urban solutions, technology, sustainable infrastructure and urban development.

PwC Partner Kunj Vaidya described the India-New Zealand FTA as a "once-in-a-generation" agreement with the potential to significantly transform bilateral economic engagement.

He highlighted the importance of businesses understanding the opportunities presented by the agreement and translating its commitments into greater trade, investment and business partnerships.

Jordan Robertson, Chairperson of Te Matapihi National Maori Housing Aotearoa, emphasised the importance of people-to-people connections as a foundation for deeper India-New Zealand relations.

He highlighted the need for greater interaction among communities, businesses and institutions to build stronger relationships and long-term partnerships.

Win-Win Investments Ltd Managing Director Aupito Sua William Sio highlighted the importance of creating long-term economic opportunities that benefit future generations while strengthening families and communities.

He emphasised the need for affordable, sustainable and climate-resilient homes, along with stronger healthcare systems to build resilient and prosperous communities.

India has offered market access in 70.03 per cent of the tariff lines while keeping 29.97 per cent tariff lines in exclusion, which covers 95 per cent of New Zealand's bilateral trade.

Certain products are kept in exclusion, such as dairy (milk, cream, whey, yoghurt, cheese, etc.), animal products (other than sheep meat), vegetable products (onions, chana, peas, corn, almonds, etc.), sugar, artificial honey, among others.