Amit Shah Salutes India-New Zealand FTA As PM Modi-Led Trade Diplomacy Breaks New Ground

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday hailed the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) as a defining milestone of the Narendra Modi government’s assertive trade diplomacy, declaring that it opens powerful new pathways for prosperity, investment, and global engagement.

In a post on X, Shah said the agreement reflects the Modi government’s people-centric foreign policy and sets a new benchmark in India’s global economic outreach.

He stressed that the FTA would attract nearly $20 billion in investment and create expansive opportunities for Indian innovators, entrepreneurs, farmers, MSMEs, students, and youth.

Calling it a ‘textbook example’ of diplomacy delivering tangible benefits, Shah underlined that PM Narendra Modi’s leadership has transformed trade agreements into instruments of growth rather than paperwork exercises. He said the agreement strengthens India’s position as a preferred global economic partner.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, during which both leaders jointly announced the successful conclusion of the historic, ambitious, and mutually beneficial FTA.

The agreement marks a major leap in bilateral ties and signals a shared commitment to long-term economic integration.

Global Trade & Indian Gains

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, negotiations began in March this year and concluded in a record nine months, reflecting strong political will and strategic alignment between the two nations.

Both leaders expressed confidence that bilateral trade would double within the next five years, while New Zealand is expected to invest $20 billion in India over the next 15 years.

The FTA significantly deepens economic engagement by improving market access, boosting investment flows, and strengthening strategic cooperation.

It also unlocks fresh opportunities across sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, education, innovation, and services, benefiting stakeholders in both countries.

Leaders from both sides welcomed parallel progress in sports, education, and people-to-people exchanges, reaffirming their commitment to expanding the India–New Zealand partnership beyond trade into cultural and strategic domains.

A key highlight of the agreement is its tariff framework. The FTA eliminates or sharply reduces duties on 95 per cent of New Zealand’s exports to India, among the most liberal terms offered under any Indian trade pact. Nearly 57 per cent of exports will become duty-free from day one, rising to 82 per cent upon full implementation, with the remaining items facing steep tariff cuts.

Officials in New Zealand said the agreement places their exporters on equal or better footing with global competitors and opens the door to India’s rapidly expanding middle-class market.

With this FTA, the Modi government has reinforced India’s image as a confident, growth-driven economy that leverages diplomacy to deliver jobs, investment, and global opportunity. The deal stands as a bold statement of India’s rising influence in shaping fair, future-ready trade partnerships.

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