New Delhi: New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, in his 2026 State of the Nation speech, emphasised on Monday that the recently concluded Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with India will strengthen business competitiveness and act as a major driver for economic growth. He highlighted that the deal, completed in less than a year, supports domestic job creation and wage increases.
The agreement removes or reduces tariffs on 95% of New Zealand’s exports, with around 57% ecoming duty-free immediately after it comes into effect. Speaking about the milestone in a post on X, Luxon said: “This is another example of what I mean when I say National is fixing the basics and building the future.”
The India-New Zealand FTA, concluded on December 22, 2025, represents a comprehensive, balanced, and forward-looking agreement, marking a key strategic and economic milestone in India’s engagement with the Indo-Pacific region.
Negotiations for the deal were formally launched on March 16, 2025, during a meeting between Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal and New Zealand’s Minister for Trade and Investment Todd McClay.
