India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal arrived in Auckland, New Zealand to review progress on the proposed FTA between the two countries, Press Trust of India reports. The visit coincides with the fourth round of negotiations, which began on 3 November and will continue through 7 November. Goyal met New Zealand’s Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay to assess progress on key chapters including trade in goods and services and rules of origin.

The talk aims to build on momentum from earlier rounds since negotiations were launched on 16 March and to move toward an early conclusion of a comprehensive agreement. Bilateral merchandise trade between India and New Zealand stood at USD 1.3 bn in FY 2024-25, marking a 49% y-o-y growth, The Economic Times reports.

Agri-tech cooperation: Agriculture technology has emerged as a key focus area in the India-New Zealand trade talks, The Hindu reports. McClay said his country plans to share farm innovations, irrigation expertise, and sustainability models to support Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2030 farm-income goal, as both sides work to narrow differences on agricultural market access. The two countries are also exploring collaboration in food processing and climate-resilient farming.

Aviation and connectivity: Goyal also met Air New Zealand CEO Nikhil Ravishankar to explore collaboration in India’s expanding aviation sector, ANI reports. Discussions covered training partnerships, maintenance cooperation and the possibility of direct flight connectivity by 2028 to strengthen business and tourism links. Both sides said aviation collaboration could play a key role in boosting bilateral trade and mobility.

The renewed push follows efforts by both countries to diversify supply chains beyond the Asia-Pacific’s dominant trade corridors. New Zealand seeks deeper access to India’s services and agri-markets, while India aims to tap advanced food-tech and logistics expertise as part of its export diversification agenda.

INDIA + JAPAN-

India's Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar affirmed the deepening strategic partnership between India and Japan, identifying it as essential for enhancing stability in the Indo-Pacific region and contributing to global economic growth, according to a press release. Speaking at the 8th India-Japan Indo-Pacific Forum, Jaishankar stressed that as two major maritime democracies, the nations share a "larger responsibility" for the region.

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