Why it is in the news
New Zealand's Parliament passed the India Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill at its third reading by 93 votes to 29 on 16 September 2026, clearing the last domestic hurdle to bringing the India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement into force. India's Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal indicated the agreement could become operational as early as October 2026 once both sides complete ratification. The Bill was carried by the governing National and ACT parties together with the opposition Labour party, and opposed by New Zealand First, the Greens, Te Pāti Māori and two independents — a coalition partner voting against its own government's trade deal.
The exam angle
Issue: Has India's trade strategy genuinely shifted from defensive protection to calibrated opening, or has it simply found partners small enough that opening costs little?