New Zealand Parliament Passes India Free Trade Agreement

New Zealand's Parliament has passed legislation to implement a landmark Free Trade Agreement with India, removing the final domestic hurdle for the pact signed in April. The bill was approved by a vote of 93 to 29 on Wednesday, with support from the ruling National Party, the opposition Labour Party, and the ACT New Zealand party. The Greens, New Zealand First, and Te Pāti Māori voted against it. The agreement, signed on April 27, 2026, is now expected to come into force later this year. India's Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal stated last week that the pact could potentially become operational in October. New Zealand Trade Minister Todd McClay said the government anticipates the FTA will enter into force this year, with benefits for exporters being immediate and substantial. Under the deal, New Zealand will provide duty-free access to 100% of Indian exports to its market across all tariff lines. For New Zealand's exports to India, tariffs on roughly 95% of bilateral trade will be either removed or substantially lowered. Duties on 30% of tariff lines covering products such as wood, wool, sheep meat, and raw hides will be eliminated immediately. A further 35.