India-New Zealand FTA to come into force on October 20: Piyush Goyal

India and New Zealand Free Trade Agreement will come into force from 20th of October this year. Addressing a press conference in New Delhi on Monday, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said that the Agreement provides duty-free access for 100 per cent of Indian exports to New Zealand. He said, the strategic partnerships reflects the shared ambition to deepen this cooperation and aspirational goal of doubling bilateral trade in goods and services to almost Rs35,000 crore rupees in the next 4 to 5 years.Under the agreement, 100 per cent of Indian exports to New Zealand will receive duty-free access from the date the FTA comes into force. Goyal said the implementation of the agreement marks an important milestone in the economic partnership between the two countries and reflects their shared commitment to building a stronger and more ambitious trade relationship.

20th October, 2026.

A new chapter unlocks in the India-New Zealand economic partnership. ???????????????? pic.twitter.com/JuDTnDyDCP

— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) September 21, 2026

India and New Zealand share longstanding and close relations, anchored in strong people-to-people ties and expanding cooperation across trade and investment, agriculture, education, sports, technology and other areas. The FTA represents a significant step in further strengthening these ties and creating new opportunities for businesses and communities in both countries.
Goyal also said that negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between India and Canada are progressing and the fifth round of talks will begin on October 5. The next 90 days should be a very defining period in the Canada-India relationship, Goyal said.
On the India-EU trade pact, Goyal said the agreement is expected to come into force in the coming months. He said the pact is expected to be ratified by the European Parliament in the next three months or so and is likely to come into effect within the next six to seven months. On the India-Chile trade agreement, Goyal said Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal recently visited Chile to review the progress of negotiations. “I believe in the coming few months, we will hear some good news,” he said.