India-New Zealand FTA to come into force on October 20: Piyush Goyal

India’s trade engagement with New Zealand and Canada is set for a fresh push, with the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) scheduled to come into force on October 20, 2026, coinciding with Dussehra, while India and Canada have agreed to fast-track negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal announced the entry-into-force date of the India-New Zealand FTA on Monday during a virtual interaction with New Zealand Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay in New Delhi.

Under the agreement, 100 per cent of Indian exports to New Zealand will receive duty-free access from the date the FTA comes into force.

Goyal said the implementation of the agreement marks an important milestone in the economic partnership between the two countries and reflects their shared commitment to building a stronger and more ambitious trade relationship.

In a post on X, Goyal said, “A Vijay for both nations. India-New Zealand FTA coming into force on 20th October 2026, on the occasion of Vijay Dashami.”

The Commerce Minister also acknowledged the contribution of McClay and the negotiating teams of both countries in working towards what he described as a fair, equitable and balanced agreement.

India-New Zealand trade gains momentum

The bilateral economic relationship has gained momentum following high-level political engagements, including the visits of New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to New Zealand in July 2026.

Goyal noted that PM Modi’s July visit was the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to New Zealand in four decades, providing further impetus to bilateral ties and the early implementation of the trade agreement.

The India-New Zealand strategic partnership and roadmap to 2030 include an aspirational goal of doubling bilateral trade in goods and services to nearly ₹35,000 crore over the next four to five years.

The FTA was signed in New Delhi on April 27, 2026, after negotiations were completed in nine months.

NZ PM Luxon also welcomed the agreement’s implementation, saying it would create opportunities for exporters, businesses and workers in both countries.

India-Canada CEPA talks to be accelerated

Meanwhile, India and Canada have agreed to fast-track negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, with the fifth round of talks scheduled to begin on October 5.

Goyal said he concluded the fourth round of CEPA negotiations with Canadian Minister of International Trade Maninder Sidhu in Mumbai on Friday.

Describing the discussions as productive, Goyal said both sides had agreed to accelerate the pace of negotiations. He said the upcoming fifth round would begin on October 5, adding that the next 90 days could be a defining period in India-Canada relations.

The latest discussions follow a renewed effort by the two countries to advance their economic relationship and conclude a comprehensive trade agreement.

Canada had earlier stated that three rounds of the renewed CEPA negotiations had been completed and that both sides were working towards concluding the negotiations by the end of 2026.

India-Canada trade engagement revived

India and Canada have been discussing a comprehensive trade pact for more than a decade. Formal negotiations were relaunched in March 2022, alongside discussions on an Early Progress Trade Agreement as an interim arrangement.

Nine negotiating rounds were held between 2022 and 2023 before the process was paused in August 2023 amid strains in bilateral relations.

Trade engagement regained momentum in 2025, followed by the launch of a fresh CEPA process. The two countries signed the Terms of Reference for the negotiations on March 2, 2026, during Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit to India, with both sides committing to seek conclusion of the negotiations by the end of 2026.

(With ANI inputs)