Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s two-day state visit to New Zealand, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced a major breakthrough in the proposed India–New Zealand trade agreement, stating that 57% of New Zealand’s exports to India will be tariff-free from the very first day of the deal’s implementation.
The announcement comes ahead of PM Modi’s visit to New Zealand from July 10 to July 11, marking the first state visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the country in nearly four decades. The visit is expected to give fresh momentum to bilateral relations, particularly in trade, investment, defence and technology.
Sharing the update on X, PM Luxon said the agreement would create significant opportunities for New Zealand businesses.
“New Zealand businesses are set to boom with our India Trade Deal. 57 per cent of everything we export to India will be tariff free from day one,” he posted.
Trade deal to boost bilateral ties
According to the Indian government, PM Modi’s visit will focus on strengthening cooperation across multiple sectors, including trade, commerce, defence, technology and investment. The Prime Minister’s Office said bilateral ties between India and New Zealand have witnessed significant progress in recent years.
During his visit to Auckland, PM Modi is expected to hold bilateral talks with PM Christopher Luxon to review the entire spectrum of India-New Zealand relations and explore new areas of cooperation.
Meetings with business leaders and Indian diaspora
Apart from official engagements, PM Modi is scheduled to meet leading business and sports personalities in New Zealand. He will also address a large gathering of the Indian diaspora, highlighting the strong people-to-people relationship between the two countries.
Part of Modi’s three-nation Indo-Pacific tour
New Zealand is the final destination of PM Modi’s three-nation diplomatic tour, which began in Indonesia and continued in Australia. The visit reflects India’s continued efforts to deepen strategic partnerships across the Indo-Pacific region.
The tour aims to enhance cooperation in critical sectors such as trade, defence, critical minerals, resilient supply chains, emerging technologies and investment, while reinforcing India’s Act East Policy and its vision for a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific.
With geopolitical dynamics in the Indo-Pacific evolving rapidly, India and its regional partners are increasingly working to diversify economic partnerships and strengthen supply chains to reduce dependence on any single market.
