Auckland, Nov. 5 -- India and New Zealand are working steadily toward a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), with both sides committed to achieving a balanced deal that benefits citizens and strengthens economic ties, New Zealand's Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay said on Wednesday.

Speaking with media after a meeting where Union Minister Piyush Goyal and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon attended an event with the Indian diaspora and community leaders, McClay said the two countries had made "great progress" in their negotiations. He added that while there was optimism on both sides, the focus remained on ensuring the deal was fair and durable.

"We were committed early on that we would only launch negotiations if we thought w...