Overview
- The Government of India formally notified the first tranche of tariff concessions that take effect on October 20, listing specific basic customs duty (BCD), cess rates and tariff‑rate quotas (TRQs) for named imports from New Zealand.
- Specified fresh, chilled and frozen sheep meat will enter at zero BCD with no AIDC or health cess, eligible kiwi fruit valued at $2.50 per kg or more faces a 15% BCD, and qualifying Manuka honey above $30 per kg is set at 51% BCD with a 40‑tonne annual TRQ.
- Preferential treatment is conditional: importers must meet exact tariff classifications, proof of New Zealand origin and product certifications (for example, Manuka honey certification from New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries) to claim lower duties.
- The notification preserves protections for sensitive domestic sectors by excluding dairy and other key agricultural lines and uses TRQs and value bands to limit in‑quota volumes rather than offering unconditional duty-free access.
- The move is part of a broader deal meant to diversify trade between countries that trade about $1.1–1.3 billion a year, with New Zealand granting zero-duty access to Indian exports and offering investment and temporary-employment commitments that will shape commercial flows over the coming years.