India and New Zealand on Monday announced the conclusion of negotiations for a free trade agreement under which a host of domestic goods from sectors like textiles, footwear, engineering and marine products will get duty-free access in New Zealand. India has not given any duty concessions in the dairy sector, which was a key demand for New Zealand.
Under the pact, which is likely to be signed in the next three months and implemented next year, New Zealand has committed to facilitating investments of US $20 billion in India over the next 15 years. "Elimination of tariffs on 100 per cent of its tariff lines provides duty-free access for all Indian exports," the commerce ministry said.
This market access enhances the competitiveness of India's labour-intensive sectors, including textiles, apparel, leather, footwear, marine products, gems and jewellery, handicrafts, engineering goods and automobiles, it said.
The ministry said that India has secured commitments across a wide range of high-value sectors, including IT and IT-enabled services, professional services, education, financial services, tourism, construction and other business services, opening substantial new opportunities for Indian service suppliers and high-skill employment.
The FTA provides improved entry and stay provisions for Indian professionals, students and youth, including work opportunities during studies, post-study work pathways, dedicated visa arrangements and a Working Holiday visa framework.
It has also opened Skilled Employment Pathways through a new Temporary Employment Entry Visa pathway for Indian professionals in skilled occupations with a quota of 5,000 visas at any given time and a stay of up to three years.
"This pathway covers Indian professions like AYUSH practitioners, yoga instructors, Indian chefs and music teachers, as well as high-demand sectors like IT, engineering, healthcare, education and construction, strengthening workforce mobility and services trade," it said.
The other components of the agreement include dedicated Agri-Technology Action Plans on kiwifruit, apples and honey and focus on productivity enhancement, technology, research collaboration, quality improvement and value-chain development to strengthen domestic capabilities and support Indian farmers.
The cooperation includes setting up of Centres of Excellence, improved planting material, capacity building for growers and technical support for orchard management, post-harvest practices, supply chain performance and food safety.
Bilateral merchandise trade reached US $1.3 billion in 2024-25, while total trade in goods and services stood at about US $2.4 billion in 2024 with services trade alone reaching US $1.24 billion, led by travel, IT and business services. "The FTA provides a stable and predictable framework to unlock the full potential of this relationship," said the ministry. Talks on this pact began in May.
Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said that although only five formal rounds were held for the pact, both sides remained in continuous touch for the closure of negotiations.
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