India, new zealand restart fta talks after decade

On 16 March 2025, India and New Zealand dusted off a decade-old plan, announcing the resumption of Free Trade Agreement talks that stalled in 2015. Kicked off in 2010 as the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement, the deal—nine rounds deep—hit a wall over dairy and agri tariffs. Now, with New Zealand prime minister Christopher Luxon in India until 20 March, commerce minister Piyush Goyal and trade minister Todd McClay shook hands in Delhi, vowing a “comprehensive and mutually beneficial” pact. “It’s about supply chains and market access,” the commerce ministry hummed, eyeing a $1 billion trade bump from April to January.

Picture a Gujarat exporter dreaming of kiwi-laden shelves or an Andhra farmer fretting over cheap lamb flooding in. That’s the stakes—India’s 17.8% tariffs clash with New Zealand’s near-zero rates, per think tank GTRI. Goyal’s X post glowed: “new avenues for businesses and consumers” await, echoing Naidu’s Tesla hustle—sell the vision, snag the prize. Luxon’s four-day visit, overlapping Raisina Dialogue buzz, adds heft; could this be India’s next economic bridge to Oceania?

The road’s not smooth—dairy’s a sore spot. New Zealand’s milk and apples want in; India’s guarding its farmers tight. “Balanced outcomes,” the ministry promises, but whispers on X hint at early harvest deals like Australia’s—quick wins to grease the wheels. A decade ago, talks fizzled amid RCEP tangles; now, with trade humming past $1 billion, the vibe’s different. Will this thaw unlock jobs or just pile on the paperwork? The table’s set—time to deal.