Overview
- New Zealand grants tariff-free entry to 100% of Indian goods, while India cuts duties on about 70% of tariff lines covering nearly 95% of bilateral trade.
- Services and mobility provisions include market access in 118 sectors, MFN treatment in 139 sub-sectors, post-study work rights up to three years for STEM graduates and four for doctoral scholars, 5,000 temporary employment visas, and 1,000 work-and-holiday visas annually.
- New Zealand commits to facilitate $20 billion of investment over 15 years, paired with agricultural Centres of Excellence for apples, kiwifruit and honey and faster pharma approvals via acceptance of global inspection reports by the US FDA, EMA and UK MHRA.
- Sensitive items such as dairy, sugar, spices and edible oils are excluded from market access, prompting mixed reactions in New Zealand, including criticism from Foreign Minister Winston Peters.
- Talks launched in March 2025 concluded on December 22, with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon touting jobs and higher incomes as officials prepare the formal signing and work through non-tariff and regulatory issues.