India, New Zealand to Boost Trade, Tourism with FTA, Flights

• Piyush Goyal and Air New Zealand CEO discussed FTA negotiations and improving aviation links
• India’s trade with New Zealand reached USD 1.3 billion in 2024-25
• The planned Air India-Air New Zealand direct flights by 2028 will enhance trade, tourism, and mobility

India and New Zealand are advancing FTA talks to strengthen their aviation partnership, boost trade growth, enhance tourism, and foster greater economic cooperation, including the potential for direct flights between the two countries.

During his official visit to New Zealand, India's Minister for Industry Piyush Goyal met with Nikhil Ravishankar, Air New Zealand's new Chief Executive Officer, to discuss the ongoing negotiations related to the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and possible improvements to aviation ties between the two countries.

This meeting took place during the fourth round of Free Trade Agreement negotiations which were held in Rotorua and Auckland, where attendees underscored the role of aviation in facilitating a more profound economic, trade, and tourism partnership between India and New Zealand.

Minister Goyal underscored the positive collaborative context of the FTA negotiations, which have primarily focused on a sectoral arrangement to deepen economic linkages while respecting New Zealand's and India's interests.

India and New Zealand's merchandise trade has reached a notable USD 1.3 billion in 2024-25, a significant increase of 48.6 percent from the previous fiscal year. This creates a strong base to generate increased linkages in dairy, agriculture, food processing, and aviation services sectors.

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A major topic of discussion was the possibility of direct flights between Air India and Air New Zealand by 2028, which is expected to promote trade, tourism, and mobility between the two countries.

Both leaders emphasized that better aviation connections would create additional business opportunities, specifically in tourism, giving Indian travelers easier access to New Zealand's adventure and eco-tourism experiences and vice versa.

Despite the challenges faced by Air New Zealand, including expensive maintenance, it is understood that its recovery is integral to New Zealand's wider economic recovery, particularly for tourism- and trade-reliant sectors of the economy.

The expanded air links will also significantly strengthen the supply chain and export growth. With the shared experience developing their bilateral trade relationship, the FTA and aviation links will help cement the India-New Zealand partnership as one of the most dynamic partnerships in the Asia-Pacific.