On The Radar: How Indian Media is Covering the India–New Zealand FTA

Since New Zealand and India concluded negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement on 22 December 2025, discussions around who gains what and how much have been abuzz in both countries.

New Zealand media has since reported widely and in depth on what the FTA could mean for the country and its economy. From expert opinions to detailed breakdowns of the deal, it has made for extensive reading for anyone wanting to understand its implications.

But how has the Indian media covered what is arguably one of the most talked-about developments this year between India and New Zealand? (barring the war that has pushed global uncertainty to new levels)

Headline in an Indian newspaper. Photo credit - Graeme Acton/AMC

When the negotiations concluded

India’s most-read Hindi daily, Dainik Bhaskar, described the agreement as historic, highlighting that tariffs have been reduced on 95 percent of New Zealand goods. “This agreement is a huge opportunity for New Zealand to reach 1.4 billion Indian consumers. The deal marks India's third major trade pact this year and is seen as a strategic step by both nations to foster economic growth amid global trade uncertainties,” its report published on 22 December 2025 noted.

India’s largest English-language newspaper, The Times of India, emphasised the mutual benefits of the deal, stating that it would “act as a catalyst for deeper trade, investment, innovation, and shared opportunities between the two countries.” The Economic Times also reported on how the FTA will open doors for farmers, growers, and businesses in New Zealand.

The Wire reported that Prime Minister Luxon said he was confident the government would secure passage of the legislation.

The Indian Express focused on mobility provisions, reporting that the FTA would allow up to 1,667 skilled worker visas annually for three years. “These visas will be non-renewable and targeted at priority occupations facing shortages in New Zealand, including doctors, nurses, teachers, ICT professionals, and engineers,” the report said.

Beyond media coverage, India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal described the agreement on his website as “India’s best-ever market access and services offer.”

“For New Zealand, this marks a giant leap in foreign direct investment in India. Over the past 25 years, New Zealand invested about ₹643 crore (about NZD 117 million) in India. The new commitment—approximately ₹1.8 lakh crore (around NZD 32 billion) over 15 years—represents a dramatic expansion, backed by a "clawback mechanism" if investment targets are not met,” he wrote.

Notably, this mechanism was not mentioned in the Press Information Bureau’s official press note. Press Information Bureau (PIB) is the nodal agency of the Government of India to disseminate information to the print and electronic media.

At the time negotiations concluded, Indian media also reported on opposition from New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters. The New Indian Express ran a story titled Why New Zealand Foreign Minister slammed trade agreement with India: ‘Bad deal’. Similar stories were also published by several other Indian Media houses including The Times of India and Hindustan Times.

Since then, opinion pieces and analyses in Indian media have examined the agreement from multiple angles. Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), writing for The Hindu, praised the government’s efforts. “Coming soon after India’s FTAs with the United Kingdom and Oman, this agreement reflects a broader global shift toward diversifying trade partnerships and strengthening engagement with India,” he wrote. He also noted that the fast-tracked negotiations, concluded within nine months, reflected strong political will to build mutually beneficial global partnerships aligned with India’s national goals and its vision for a just, equitable, and rules-based trading system.

A recent Deccan Herald opinion piece, Deep deals, deeper strategy: India’s bilateral dynamism and trade diplomacy, placed the agreement within a wider strategic arc. It argued that while the India-New Zealand FTA strengthens India’s position in the Asia-Pacific, the India-Oman Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement deepens economic ties with the Middle East, signalling a deliberate diversification in India’s trade diplomacy.

The conversations, however, now appear to be moving beyond the agreement itself.

Another opinion piece published in The Hindu described the deal as a strong template for future agreements, arguing that “unlike earlier headline-grabbing mega trade pacts, this agreement has been negotiated from a position of sectoral caution and strategic clarity,” with both countries starting from a relatively low base.

The Print also carried an expert analysis that pointed to clear economic incentives underpinning the deal. It noted that India’s exports — pharmaceuticals, refined petroleum products, automotive components, textiles, and jewellery — are driven by scale and manufacturing strength, while New Zealand’s exports — wool, forestry, and other resource-based goods — reflect its strengths in agriculture and sustainability. The piece also highlighted that the FTA was concluded in just nine months after negotiations were launched during Christopher Luxon’s visit to India in March 2025, signalling a rare alignment of political intent and administrative focus on both sides.

The Indian Express also published an editorial arguing that a trade deal with New Zealand is much needed.

Coverage in 2026

More recently, coverage in Indian media has shifted towards the reported signing of the agreement on 24 April 2026, a date that hasn't been mentioned officially by the Beehive. Trade Minister Todd McClay has not confirmed the late-April date, telling RNZ earlier this month that they are still "discussing what would be an appropriate time to sign".

The Economic Times, in a report published on 7 April, noted that the deal could bring a $20 billion investment boost over 15 years. “India and New Zealand are expected to sign a Free Trade Agreement on April 24 in Delhi… a move aimed at boosting trade and investment between the two countries,” the report said, adding that it could provide tariff-free access for Indian goods in the New Zealand market.

Business Standard reported along similar lines, also highlighting provisions related to temporary employment entry visas. According to its coverage, the deal would support the services sector by introducing a visa pathway for Indian professionals in skilled occupations, with a quota of 5,000 visas annually and a stay of up to three years. “This pathway covers Indian professions such as AYUSH (Ayush is an acronym devised from the names of the alternative healthcare systems covered by the ministry in India - Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy) practitioners, yoga instructors, Indian chefs, and music teachers, as well as high-demand sectors including IT, engineering, healthcare, education, and construction,” the report noted, pointing to strengthened workforce mobility and services trade.

Moneycontrol reported that Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on April 2 said that India’s trade agreement with the United Kingdom is expected to kick in within the next 30-45 days, while the deal with New Zealand is likely to be signed in the fourth week of April.

As attention now turns to the formal signing, reporting from NDTV Profit suggests the agreement could be closely tied to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to New Zealand, with the FTA expected to be a key deliverable. Preparations are already underway, with both sides finalising a substantial list of outcomes and a high-level business delegation likely to accompany the visit.

Why is the coverage the way it is?

Dipanjan Roy Chaudhary, Diplomatic Affairs Editor, The Economic Times said, the reportage on India-New Zealand FTA in Indian media is not widespread as one would like it to be. "There is a high level visit planned from India to New Zealand this year and that would help in coverage of FTA. From Indian view point investments & immigration/mobility are key elements in any FTA and not just with New Zealand and media reflects that," he said. 

A senior journalist with a Hindi daily, who spoke to AMC on condition of anonymity, said the trade deal is an important one for India and fits into the country’s broader strategic push on trade agreements.

“I don’t think Indian media is covering it as critically as New Zealand’s media because, from our perspective, the deal is a positive one. There will always be differences in political messaging around such agreements across countries,” she said.

“From India’s standpoint, the deal still protects the critical agriculture sector, and I think that’s why it passes.”

She added that media coverage ultimately reflects what matters most to domestic audiences.

“The deal looks like a win-win from New Delhi to Wellington — India is looking at market access and investment, while New Zealand businesses gain access to a large and evolving market like India, which is always open to trying new things,” she said.

The conversations, however, appear to be moving beyond the agreement itself. Alongside trade, discussions are expanding into sectors such as agriculture and sports, including practical initiatives like training Indian farmers in kiwi and apple cultivation. In that sense, what began as a trade negotiation is increasingly being framed in Indian media as part of a broader, more ambitious economic partnership — one that signals intent not just to trade more, but to work more closely across sectors in the years ahead.

 -Asia Media Centre