NZ Foreign Minister Blasts India FTA: 'Neither Free Nor Fair' Amid Dairy, Labour Row

• New Zealand's Foreign Minister Winston Peters publicly opposes the recently announced FTA with India, calling it 'neither free nor fair'.
• Peters' main objections stem from India's refusal to open its dairy sector, a critical export for New Zealand, and new labour mobility provisions for Indian professionals.
• The FTA aims to boost bilateral trade from $1.3 billion to $5 billion within five years, granting India 100% duty-free access to NZ and NZ tariff reductions on 95% of its exports to India.
• India maintains its dairy sector protection is non-negotiable, while viewing labour mobility as a standard, mutually beneficial component of trade agreements.
• Despite Peters' opposition, which is seen as internal New Zealand politics, the FTA is expected to move forward as his party lacks the numbers to block it.

Why It Matters: NZ-India FTA faces internal NZ opposition over dairy and labour, but is likely to proceed.