Pariksha SaathiIndia–New Zealand FTA enters into force on 20 October 2026: duty-free access for all Indian goods, USD 20 billion investment commitment
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and New Zealand's Minister for Trade and Investment Todd McClay announced on 19 October 2026, through a virtual conference, that the India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement will enter into force on 20 October 2026, Vijay Dashmi. New Zealand has eliminated customs duties on all tariff lines covering Indian exports, removing peak tariffs of up to 10%, and has made its best services offer in any trade agreement to date: market access in around 118 sectors and Most-Favoured-Nation commitments in about 139 sub-sectors, with dedicated access, for the first time, in Health and Traditional Medicine Services covering Ayurveda, Yoga and other AYUSH systems. Indian professionals get a quota of 5,000 Temporary Employment Entry visas and 1,000 Working Holiday visas a year, with no numerical cap on Indian students and post-study work rights of up to three years for STEM Bachelor's and Master's graduates and up to four years for doctoral scholars. New Zealand has committed to facilitate USD 20 billion of investment into India, and an Agricultural Productivity Partnership sets out action plans and Centres of Excellence for kiwifruit, apples and honey, with Phase I kiwifruit sites at Pfutsero (Nagaland) and Magra (Uttarakhand). Dairy, sugar, edible oils and key agricultural commodities stay excluded from concessions. Negotiations ran from 16 March 2025 to 22 December 2025 and the agreement was signed on 27 April 2026; the first-ever export of a JCB machine from India to New Zealand was flagged off on the occasion.
Drafted with AI assistance from the official PIB release linked above and checked against it by a second AI pass. Not line-edited by a human.
Learning context
The India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement was signed on 27 April 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and New Zealand's Minister for Trade and Investment Todd McClay. India offered market access in 70% of its tariff lines, covering 95% of New Zealand's bilateral trade, while keeping out dairy and key agricultural products such as milk, cream, cheese, yoghurts, whey, caseins, onions, sugar, spices, edible oils, coffee and rubber.
Reference: PIB release of 27 April 2026 on the signing of the India–New Zealand FTA
Check yourself: where have the Phase I sites under the Kiwifruit Action Plan been identified?
Pfutsero in Nagaland and Magra in Uttarakhand.
Revision task: from this release, note the entry-into-force date, the services and visa numbers, the investment commitment and the agricultural action plans, and keep them apart from the signing facts above.
Test yourself
Under the India–New Zealand FTA, which entered into force on 20 October 2026, how many Temporary Employment Entry visas a year will be available to Indian professionals?
Show the answer
Answer: 5,000
Indian youth and professionals will have access to a quota of 5,000 Temporary Employment Entry visas and 1,000 Working Holiday visas every year.
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