New Delhi, Nov 3 (IANS) India and New Zealand on Monday began the fourth round of negotiations for the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in Auckland.

The trade talks (November 3-7) mark another step forward in advancing a balanced, comprehensive, and mutually beneficial partnership between the two nations, according to a Commerce Ministry statement.

Negotiations in this round are focusing on key areas, including trade in goods, trade in services, and Rules of Origin.

Both sides are working constructively to build on the progress achieved in earlier rounds, to reach convergence on outstanding issues and move towards the early conclusion of the FTA.

The negotiations build on the shared commitment to deepen economic ties and guidance given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the visit of Christopher Luxon, Prime Minister of New Zealand, in March 2025.

The FTA was launched during the meeting between Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and Todd McClay, Minister for Trade and Investment, New Zealand on March 16.

India and New Zealand reiterated their commitment to developing a forward-looking and inclusive trade framework that supports sustainable growth and shared prosperity for both economies.

Earlier, the third round of negotiations for the India-New Zealand FTA concluded successfully in Queenstown in September. The discussions reaffirmed the shared commitment of both nations to strengthen economic ties and work towards the early conclusion of a balanced and mutually beneficial agreement, according to a statement by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

The third round, held from September 15-19, witnessed constructive discussions across all areas of the agreement. Several chapters were concluded, and significant progress was achieved in other key domains.

India’s bilateral merchandise trade with New Zealand stood at $1.3 billion in FY2024–25, registering a growth of nearly 49 per cent over the previous year. The proposed FTA is expected to further boost trade flows, promote investment linkages, strengthen supply chain resilience, and create a predictable framework for businesses in both countries.

–IANS

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