India FTA opens new opportunities for New Zealand's produce

The New Zealand–India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) entered into force on 20 October 2026.

Designed to open up new opportunities into the Indian market by eliminating and reducing tariffs, the FTA provides some key outcomes for the food and beverage sector, including:

• The 33% tariff on sheepmeat will be eliminated.
• The 33% tariffs on key fish and seafood exports will be phased out over seven years.
• The 66% tariff on mānuka honey will drop by three-quarters to 16.5% over five years for mānuka honey certified by the Ministry for Primary Industries and priced at or above US$30/kg, and to the same tariff rate for a volume of 200 tonnes for mānuka honey priced between US$20 to US$30/kg.
• The 33% tariff on bulk infant formula and other dairy-based food preparations, and the 22% tariff for peptones (a dairy-based product), will be phased out over seven years.
• The steep tariffs (of 150%) on New Zealand wine will be reduced by 66–83% over 10 years from entry into force (to a 25% or 50% final duty).

New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW) is celebrating the India–New Zealand FTA coming into force, bringing New Zealand wine improved access to one of the world’s fastest-growing economies.

“We thank Ministers and officials for their work to secure improved access to a market with considerable long-term potential,” said NZW Chief Executive Anishka Jelicich.

The FTA also includes a Most Favoured Nation commitment for wine. If India agrees more favourable tariffs for wine in a future FTA with another country, eligible New Zealand wine will automatically receive the same tariff treatment. In addition, the FTA includes a dedicated Annex on Trade in Wine, Whisky and Other Distilled Spirits. It aims to facilitate trade through greater transparency, regulatory cooperation, and clearer treatment of wine-specific issues, and it establishes a working group on topics such as technical matters, labelling and certification.

Image credit: iStock.com/Leigh Henningham