Dushyant Mulani, Past Chairman, FFFAI said, “The FTA delivers significant commercial gains. New Zealand has granted 100 per cent zero-duty access to Indian exports across 8,284 tariff lines from day one, covering key sectors such as textiles, pharmaceuticals, engineering goods, chemicals, and processed foods. In return, India has liberalised over 70 per cent of tariff lines, accounting for nearly 95 per cent of bilateral trade value, while safeguarding sensitive sectors like dairy, sugar, and onions. Services and investment provisions add further depth. New Zealand has opened 118 service sectors and extended MFN commitments across 139 sectors. A proposed investment pipeline of US$ 20 billion over 15 years — targeting agriculture, manufacturing, logistics, agri-technology, and infrastructure — signals long-term strategic collaboration. The agreement also sets an ambitious goal of doubling bilateral trade to US$ 5 billion within five years, up from US$ 1.3 billion currently. For the logistics ecosystem, including customs brokers and freight forwarders represented by Federation of Freight Forwarders’ Associations in India (FFFAI), the implications are immediate. Zero-duty access is expected to drive higher export volumes along the India–New Zealand corridor, increasing demand for multimodal transport, warehousing, and cross-border logistics expertise.”
