Functions of the Division

The Division deals with Trade and investment issues related to Oceania Region in particular issues related to trade promotion, policy, negotiations for FTA/PTA & other related economic activities.

Oceania region comprises 14 countries namely Australia, Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

A. AUSTRALIA

1. Institutional Mechanism

Institutional mechanism of engagement on Trade & Investment issues between India and Australia includes:

• India-Australia Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC)
• India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (Ind-Aus ECTA)

(i) India-Australia Joint Ministerial Commission

A mechanism of Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) between India and Australia has been in place since 1989. The Commission is co-chaired by the Indian Minister of Commerce & Industry and the Australian Minister of Trade.

The mandate of JMC, inter-alia, includes consideration of measures to strengthen relations between the two countries in all areas, particularly in the fields of commercial, economic, scientific and technological cooperation raise issues of major importance to the relationship and discuss approaches to significant issues of common concern indicate priority areas for further cooperation examine the working of the various bilateral agreements in force between the two countries and of arrangement embodied in the Memorandum of Understanding etc. The 19th India-Australia Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) meeting was held on 25th September, 2024 in Adelaide, Australia. The JMC discussed on the issues for building on the strong economic and strategic relationship between India and Australia, with a clear focus on future growth and collaboration.

(ii) India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (Ind-Aus ECTA)

India and Australia signed the Ind-Aus ECTA on 02 April 2022, which came into force on 29 December 2022.

Australia has granted zero-duty access to 100% of tariff lines from India, while India has provided zero-duty access on 70% of tariff lines. Bilateral merchandise trade reached USD 24.1 billion in FY 2024–25.

The Agreement has delivered benefits across textiles, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, agriculture and other sectors.

India-Australia CECA

The India-Australia Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), currently under negotiation, aims at deeper economic integration across Trade in Goods, Services, Digital Trade, Government Procurement and other emerging areas.

2. Market Access Issues

Issues related to pomegranate arils, fruits and grapes have been resolved. MRA in Organics was signed in September 2025, facilitating seamless trade in organic products.

B. NEW ZEALAND

1. Institutional mechanism of engagement for trade and investment between India and New Zealand is:

• India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA)
• India-New Zealand Joint Trade Committee (JTC)

(i) India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA)

On 22 December 2025, India and New Zealand announced the conclusion of a landmark India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (Ind-NZ FTA), marking a major milestone in India’s trade and economic engagement with the Indo-Pacific region and with a developed country. The negotiations were formally launched on 16 March 2025 and concluded, after 5 formal rounds of negotiations, making it India’s one of the fastest- concluded FTAs, aligned with the national vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

The FTA negotiated with New Zealand is a comprehensive and forward-looking agreement. In addition to conventional areas such as Trade in Goods, Rules of Origin, Trade in Services, Customs and Trade Facilitation etc., the agreement covers several emerging disciplines including Investment Promotion and Cooperation, Trade and Sustainable Development, MSME cooperation, Intellectual Property Rights, Economic Cooperation and Technical Assistance and Cultural, Trade, Traditional Knowledge and Economic Cooperation.

Under the Ind-NZ FTA, New Zealand has granted zero-duty market access on 100% of its tariff lines, providing duty-free access for all Indian exports from Entry into Effect. India, in turn, has offered tariff liberalisation on around 70% of tariff lines, covering approximately 95% of bilateral trade, while safeguarding sensitive sectors such as dairy and key agricultural products. The Agreement is expected to significantly enhance India’s export competitiveness across labour-intensive and high- growth sectors including textiles, pharmaceuticals, engineering goods, leather, agricultural products and MSMEs.

The Agreement also delivers New Zealand’s most ambitious services offer to India, covering 118 services sectors, with Most-Favoured Nation commitments in around 139 sub- sectors. Key areas include IT and IT-enabled services, professional services, education, tourism, construction, telecommunications and audio-visual services. The FTA establishes a future-ready mobility framework, facilitating student and professional mobility through post- study work opportunities, dedicated employment entry visas, and working holiday arrangements, thereby strengthening people-to- people ties.

A unique feature of the Ind–NZ FTA is its focus on agricultural productivity partnerships, cooperation through dedicated Action Plans centred around establishment of Centres of Excellence for apples, kiwifruit and honey, aimed at improving productivity, technology adoption and farmer incomes, while maintaining appropriate safeguards for domestic producers. The market access provided to New Zealand in these products is based on a calibrated approach by giving limited Tariff Rate Quotas (TRQs), with Minimum imports Prices, limited imports window etc. The market access is further linked with the actions to be taken by New Zealand under the Action Plans, and in case of any shortfall, the market access conditions can be recalibrated.

The Agreement also strengthens investment cooperation, with New Zealand facilitating investments of USD 20 billion over a 15-year period, supporting India’s manufacturing, infrastructure and services sectors. There is a rebalancing mechanism as well which enables India to adjust the market access in case New Zealand fails to fulfil its commitments.

Overall, the India-New Zealand FTA is a balanced, comprehensive and forward-looking trade agreement that is expected to deepen bilateral economic ties, promote trade and investment-led growth, create employment opportunities, enhance skill mobility and improve the overall welfare of the peoples of both countries. The Agreement provides a stable and predictable framework to unlock the full potential of India- New Zealand economic relations and is expected to boost bilateral trade in goods and services and enhance investment and technological collaborations in the coming years.

(ii) India-New Zealand Joint Trade Committee (JTC)

India and New Zealand entered into a trade agreement in 1986 with an aim to discuss the contours of a broader India-New Zealand economic dialogue to sort out the issues pertaining to trade between the two countries. The institutional machinery for the purpose created was the Joint Trade Committee (JTC). The 10th Meeting of the India-New Zealand Joint Trade Committee (JTC) was held in New Delhi on 24 June 2022. 11th India-New Zealand Joint Trade Committee was also held on 26th April, 2024 in New Zealand. The JTC meeting was co-chaired at the level of Additional Secretary, in the Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry and Deputy Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade, New Zealand.

2. Market Access Issues

The issue of pomegranate arils has been resolved.