India and New Zealand just wrapped up the third round of talks for their Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in Queenstown, and it went really well. The Indian government announced this on Friday, highlighting how both countries are eager to boost their economic partnership and seal a fair deal soon.
The negotiations ran from September 15 to 19, with teams diving deep into key areas. They even finalized several chapters and made solid headway in others. This push comes straight from the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, who both want stronger trade, investment, and business ties between the two nations.
Remember, the India-New Zealand FTA kicked off back on March 16, when Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal met with New Zealand’s Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay. It’s a big step for bilateral trade, which hit $1.3 billion in merchandise for FY2024–25—a whopping 49% jump from the year before.
This FTA could supercharge trade flows, open up new investment opportunities, build tougher supply chains, and give businesses in India and New Zealand a stable playground to grow. Both sides are keeping the energy high with virtual meetings in between rounds.
The next face-to-face talks? They’re set for New Delhi on October 13-14. Minister Goyal is optimistic about India’s exports too. He shared that they’ve grown 6% in the first five months of this financial year compared to last year. “India’s exports keep rising every year, and I’m sure this one will end strong,” he said confidently.
Goyal also mentioned that India is in active trade discussions with big players like the United States, European Union, Chile, Peru, Oman, and more. Exciting times ahead for Indian trade and economy!
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