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The proposed free trade agreement between India and New Zealand is expected to enhance trade flows, deepen investment linkages and strengthen supply-chain resilience, the commerce ministry said on Saturday. It may also provide greater predictability and market access for businesses in both countries, it said. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal was here to give an impetus to the trade pact negotiations with his New Zealand counterpart Todd McClay. The fourth round of negotiations on the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) concluded on November 7, in Auckland and Rotorua. The ministers "acknowledged the steady progress made during this round and reaffirmed their commitment to work towards a modern, comprehensive, and future-ready FTA," it said. Both delegations held detailed engagements across key tracks, including trade in goods, trade in services, economic and trade cooperation, and rules of origin. "The ongoing discussions reflect the shared resolve of both nat
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal is visiting New Zealand to review the progress of the ongoing negotiations for the proposed trade pact, an official statement said. Goyal, will be in Auckland on November 5 to engage in discussions with Todd McClay, Minister for Trade of New Zealand, on the ongoing FTA (Free Trade Agreement) negotiations. "The visit reflects the shared commitment of both countries to expedite the FTA process and build a more comprehensive and mutually beneficial economic partnership," the commerce ministry said. The fourth round of India-New Zealand FTA negotiations commenced in Auckland on November 3 with an aim to strengthen bilateral trade and economic ties between the two nations, it said. During the visit, Goyal will participate in a series of engagements aimed at strengthening trade, investment, and innovation linkages between India and New Zealand. "These include a dedicated interaction with prominent members of the New Zealand business community
Officials of India and New Zealand on Monday started the fourth round of negotiations in Auckland for the proposed free trade agreement, the commerce ministry said. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will reach Auckland this week to meet his New Zealand counterpart Todd McClay to review the progress of the negotiations. "The Fourth Round (November 3-7, 2025) of negotiations for the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) commenced today (Monday) in Auckland, New Zealand," the ministry said in a statement. Negotiations in this round are focusing on key areas, including trade in goods and services, and Rules of Origin. "Both sides are working constructively to build on the progress achieved in earlier rounds, to reach convergence on outstanding issues and move towards the early conclusion of the FTA," it said. The FTA negotiations was formally launched on March 16, 2025. The third round of negotiations for the agreement concluded on September 19 in Queenstown, New ...
On a visit to New Zealand, FBI Director Kash Patel gave the country's police and spy bosses gifts of inoperable pistols that were illegal to possess under local gun laws and had to be destroyed, New Zealand law enforcement agencies told The Associated Press. The plastic 3D-printed replica pistols formed part of the display stands Patel presented to at least three senior New Zealand security officials in July. Patel, the most senior Trump administration official to visit the country so far, was in Wellington to open the FBI's first standalone office in New Zealand. Pistols are tightly restricted weapons under New Zealand law, and possessing one requires an additional permit beyond a regular gun license. Law enforcement agencies didn't specify whether the officials who met with Patel held such permits, but they couldn't have legally kept the gifts if they didn't. It wasn't clear what permissions Patel had sought to bring the weapons into the country. A spokesperson for Patel told the
India and New Zealand will hold the next round of negotiations for the proposed trade pact on October 13-14 here, the commerce ministry said on Friday. The third round of negotiations for the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) concluded on September 19 in Queenstown, New Zealand. "Both sides agreed to maintain momentum through inter-sessional engagements. The next round of in-person negotiations is scheduled to be held in New Delhi on 13-14 October, 2025," it said. The third round, held from September 15-19, 2025, witnessed constructive discussions across all areas of the agreement. Several chapters were concluded, and significant progress was achieved in other key domains, it said. The FTA was formally launched on March 16, 2025. India's bilateral merchandise trade with New Zealand stood at USD 1.3 billion in 2024-25, registering a growth of nearly 49 per cent over the previous year. "The proposed FTA is expected to further boost trade flows, promote investment linkag
New Zealand's government announced new military spending Thursday of 2.7 billion New Zealand dollars ($1.6 billion) to replace aging aircraft, with senior officials who unveiled the package citing rapidly growing global tensions and a deteriorating security environment. The purchase of military planes and helicopters was the first procurement announced in a government plan, disclosed April, to double defence spending from 1% to 2% of GDP in the next decade. New Zealand's military spending has trailed that of its larger partners in the Five Eyes intelligence sharing group of countries which includes the United States, Britain, Canada and Australia and the bolstered budget reflects a shift in how the remote island nation is responding to strategic competition between major powers in the Pacific Ocean. The procurement includes five MH-60R Seahawk helicopters to replace the existing maritime fleet and two Airbus A321XLR aircraft, allowing the retirement of Boeing 757s that are more th
India negotiates free trade agreements with nations on an equal footing with adequate firmness, as the country has changed under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada said on Wednesday. He said that India's economic growth is progressing rapidly. "When we do FTAs with different countries...we talk on equal footing. This is the new India. We put forth our point of view forcefully," he said. The minister was speaking at the inauguration of the newly-expanded ISA building of the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) in Dwarka here. His remarks come at a time when India is negotiating trade pacts with a number of countries including the US, European Union, Peru, Chile and New Zealand. With the US, five rounds of talks have been held so far. India has clearly stated that it can not compromise on agri, and dairy sectors, a key demand of the US. Inaugurating the building, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said .