Surprised this wasn’t bigger news in India today. Following their caucus meeting yesterday, the New Zealand Labour Party has officially announced it will support the enabling legislation for the New Zealand-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA). This decision effectively "rescues" the deal for Prime Minister @chrisluxonmp , as his coalition partner, New Zealand First, remains staunchly opposed and has invoked the "agree to disagree" clause.
Labour says it’s a continuation of their long-standing efforts to deepen ties with India and that it would be irresponsible to block a deal with the world's fastest-growing major economy. Though they remain concerned about the "dairy deficit" (the exclusion of core dairy products from the FTA), Labour argued that some progress is better than none and that the deal provides a vital foothold for other sectors like education, tech, and wine.
The ruling National Party offered certain "political concessions" to secure Labour's votes. A specific one-year review mechanism is built into the agreement. This allows for a formal pursuit of "further improvements", specifically regarding dairy and environmental standards. The migration provisions, which are important for India, will also get special scrutiny.
The enabling legislation will now move through a parliamentary Committee process and is expected to pass with a "super-majority" (National + ACT + Labour) in the first half of 2026. We may be in business with New Zealand by the end of the year! NZ may be a small economy, but concluding an FTA with it will be game-changer symbolically and signal that India is increasing its trade channels — and widening its options.
Now it’s time to turn our attention to the first #INDvNZT20I!
Thank you, Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi Ji. It is my privilege and honour to be nominated to the Rajya Sabha by our Hon'ble President of India Smt. Droupadi Murmu Ji @rashtrapatibhvn. I am very grateful for the opportunity to serve our nation. 🙏🏽
|| परोपकारार्थं इदं शरीरम् ||
|| ಪರೋಪಕಾರಾರ್ಥಂ ಇದಂ ಶರೀರಂ ||
Paropakarartham Idam Shariram
🇮🇱🇮🇳 Do you know about the Battle of Haifa? This battle drastically changed the course of WW1.
In this historic confrontation on September 23, 1918, Indian regiments under the British Army were instrumental in liberating the city of Haifa from the grip of Ottoman and German forces.
Today, India and Israel honor the the fallen Indian soldiers who gave their lives to liberate Haifa.
May their memory be a blessing.🕯️
Special thanks to @haifacity
15 iconic pictures of Modi ji with world leaders at the Bharat G20 summit which highlight his worldwide diplomatic popularity
1. Rishi Sunak - Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
PM Modi with FM Lavrov representing Putin.
Whoever believes that India will deteriorate its relations with Russia because of America‘s growing interest in India due to the competition with China, doesn‘t really grasp Indian geopolitics. #G20Bharat#G20BharatSummit#G20India2023
Under the collective commitment of its members, the G20 stands resolute in its mission to deliver for global good.
A picture with President @LulaOficial, President @CyrilRamaphosa, @POTUS@JoeBiden and Mr. Ajay Banga.
At the iconic Rajghat, the G20 family paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi - the beacon of peace, service, compassion and non-violence.
As diverse nations converge, Gandhi Ji’s timeless ideals guide our collective vision for a harmonious, inclusive and prosperous global future.