India, Oct. 20 -- The India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) came into effect on Tuesday, offering Indian exporters duty-free access to the New Zealand market and creating opportunities across several industries, including textiles, leather, footwear, engineering goods, pharmaceuticals, gems and jewellery, and processed foods.

Signed on April 27, 2026, the agreement becomes India's 17th operational FTA and the seventh trade pact to take effect in the past five years. Negotiations began in 2010, stalled in 2015 and resumed in March 2025.

The agreement covers goods, services, investment, skills and mobility. Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), particularly those in labour-intensive sectors, are expected to benefit from impr...