New Zealand., Dec 23 : Foreign Minister Winston Peters has openly opposed the recently concluded India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA), describing it as a “low-quality deal” that undermines his country’s economic and immigration interests.
Taking to social media platform X shortly after the announcement, Peters who leads the New Zealand First party and is a coalition partner in the National-led government said the agreement was “neither free nor fair” and claimed New Zealand had conceded too much, particularly on immigration, without securing adequate benefits in return.
Calling the pact a “bad deal” for New Zealand, Peters argued that the government rushed into signing the agreement despite uncertainty over securing a parliamentary majority. “National preferred doing a quick, low-quality deal over doing the hard work necessary to get a fair deal that delivers for both New Zealanders and Indians,” he said.
A major point of contention for Peters is the dairy sector. He alleged that while Indian goods will gain full access to the New Zealand market, India has retained high tariff barriers on key dairy products. “This is not a good deal for New Zealand farmers and is impossible to defend to our rural communities,” he asserted.
The foreign minister also raised concerns over provisions related to skilled mobility and labour market access. He claimed that New Zealand has offered greater per capita access to Indian workers than countries like Australia and the UK in their respective FTAs. According to Peters, the creation of a new employment visa specifically for Indian nationals could significantly increase migration at a time when New Zealand’s labour market is already under strain.
Additionally, Peters questioned the balance of investment commitments under the deal, suggesting New Zealand’s interests were not adequately protected.
Despite his criticism, Peters emphasised that his party supports a strong bilateral relationship with India. “New Zealand First remains committed to advancing ties with India, which are in our strategic interests,” he said.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon announced that negotiations on the comprehensive FTA have been successfully concluded, calling it a major economic and strategic milestone. The agreement is expected to be formally signed within three months and implemented in 2026.
According to the Indian government, the FTA eliminates duties on 100 per cent of Indian exports to New Zealand and is projected to attract USD 20 billion in investment over the next 15 years. India has also safeguarded its core interests in dairy and agriculture, while securing concessions on student mobility, post-study work visas for STEM graduates, and a new visa pathway for 5,000 skilled professionals.