Back the India Deal - businesses call for cross party support

Join the call - add your support here: Back the India Deal – FTA Call for Cross-Party Support

Trade is critical to New Zealand’s prosperity. Our ability to sell goods, technology, and services to the world helps support jobs, lift incomes, and fund the hospitals, schools, and infrastructure we all rely on.

As a trading nation, New Zealand has benefited from a consistent and pragmatic approach to trade across successive Governments. Bipartisan commitment has been one of the quiet strengths of our economic policy. It gives exporting businesses the confidence to invest, innovate, and compete internationally.

The India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is the next significant step forward.

India is one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies and is on track to become the third largest. Yet New Zealand exporters continue to face substantial tariffs and regulatory barriers when accessing its 1.4 billion consumers. The reduction of barriers secured in this FTA will directly benefit sectors such as horticulture, sheep meat, seafood, wine, honey, wood products, seeds and natural fibres, machinery, digital technology, and services, unlocking new opportunities for growth.

At its core, this is about the people behind those industries, the farmers, growers, manufacturers, innovators, and the communities that depend on them. Trade agreements with growing markets like India directly support their livelihoods by creating jobs, promoting investment and putting money back into the pockets of Kiwis.

In an increasingly uncertain global environment marked by rising protectionism, geopolitical tension, and supply chain disruption, New Zealand cannot afford to stand still. Securing better access to India will help build resilience, spread risk, and strengthen our economic position. An FTA with India is not a luxury; it is a strategic necessity for our economic security. 

This agreement will also reinforce the importance of a rules-based international trading system, one that provides a level playing field for Kiwi businesses. For a small, export-reliant country like New Zealand, those rules are essential. 

Opportunities of this scale are rare. This agreement was hard fought and represents New Zealand’s best opportunity to secure meaningful access to one of the world’s most important growth markets. It also keeps the door open for further engagement across other sectors. 

We call on all parties across Parliament to uphold New Zealand’s bipartisan approach to trade by supporting the agreement. 

The time to act is now.