The Free Trade Agreement between India and New Zealand is likely to boost India’s textile exports and help the industry move toward its USD 350 billion target by 2030, according to the Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI). The agreement is expected to support exporters in diversifying beyond a few key markets and advancing up the value chain by offering duty-free access to the New Zealand market.

CITI noted that made-up textile articles ranked as the fourth-largest category of Indian imports into New Zealand in the year ending December 2025, based on data from New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Imports in this segment were valued at NZ$80.22 million during the period.

CITI Chairman Ashwin Chandran said the FTA comes at a crucial time, especially amid geopolitical tensions in West Asia, and offers a positive opportunity for Indian textile and apparel exporters. He added that New Zealand’s status as a high-income and quality-focused market can help validate Indian products in terms of both quality and pricing, enabling exporters to scale up and generate more employment through multiple trade agreements.

The industry body highlighted strong growth potential in segments like sustainable textiles, home textiles, and technical textiles in the New Zealand market. It also pointed out that New Zealand’s strength in exporting premium wool could benefit Indian manufacturers by providing access to high-quality raw materials for producing value-added garments. India’s textile and apparel sector, the second-largest employer in the country, plays a significant role in GDP and exports, with a goal of achieving USD 100 billion in exports by 2030 as part of the broader USD 350 billion industry vision, CITI added.