India-New Zealand free trade agreement announced, promising tariff-free access and USD 20 billion investment.
India and New Zealand concluded a free trade agreement granting tariff-free access to New Zealand markets and a USD 20 billion investment commitment; concurrently, the Delhi High Court sought responses to an ED challenge to a trial court's refusal to take cognisance in the National Herald matter, and the Supreme Court stayed a former minister's conviction while addressing disqualification implications.

India-New Zealand FTA opens investment gateway with USD 20 billion commitment and benefit-suspension mechanism.
The India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement includes a USD 20 billion Foreign Direct Investment commitment to India over 15 years, concluded after negotiation and expected to be signed within about three months pending New Zealand approval. The pact contains a rebalancing mechanism that allows suspension of preferential benefits if the investment commitment is not fulfilled, linking benefits to compliance with the investment pledge.

India-New Zealand free trade agreement enhances market access, addresses non-tariff barriers, and includes a USD20 billion FDI commitment.
A bilateral FTA between India and New Zealand concluded after nine months establishes expanded market access, tariff liberalisation covering roughly 95% of New Zealand exports to India, and a USD 20 billion FDI commitment to India over 15 years, while addressing non tariff barriers through regulatory cooperation and streamlined customs, sanitary and phytosanitary, and technical barriers to trade disciplines.

India-New Zealand FTA grants broad tariff liberalisation, a 5,000 visa temporary work pathway, and regulatory cooperation to boost trade.
India and New Zealand concluded a Free Trade Agreement eliminating or reducing tariffs on about 95% of New Zealand's exports while excluding sensitive Indian products from concessions. The pact includes a USD 20 billion New Zealand investment commitment, quota-based concessions for certain fruits, a 5,000-per-year temporary employment visa pathway for specified Indian skilled occupations with up to three-year stays, and measures for regulatory cooperation, sanitary and phytosanitary alignment, and mutual recognition of GMP/GCP inspection reports to facilitate pharmaceuticals and medical devices trade.

Legal actions: Supreme Court stays conviction; High Court seeks responses and orders removal of unlawful online content.
The Supreme Court stayed the conviction of a former minister to prevent statutory disqualification during appeal. A high court has required responses to an enforcement agency's challenge to a trial court's refusal to take cognisance of a chargesheet. Courts have also granted interim relief protecting personality rights by ordering takedowns of commercial use of images without consent and extended police remand of accused persons to facilitate ongoing investigations.

India-New Zealand FTA grants duty-free access for Indian exports, broad services openings, mobility pathways and a USD20bn investment pledge.
The Free Trade Agreement delivers immediate duty-free access for Indian exports while India grants broad tariff liberalisation to New Zealand subject to specified agricultural exclusions and managed quotas for apples, kiwifruit and honey. It secures extensive services market access across over one hundred sectors with Most-Favoured-Nation commitments, establishes mobility pathways including post-study work rights and a 5,000-place Temporary Employment Entry visa quota, and commits New Zealand to facilitate USD 20 billion of investment into India. Complementary measures include acceptance of comparable regulator inspection reports for pharmaceuticals, SPS and customs facilitation, geographical indication cooperation, and agricultural Centres of Excellence linked to safeguards.

Small business confidence rises to 89.1 as SMEs report stronger sales, profits and plans for capital investment.
The ASSOCHAM-Dun & Bradstreet Small Business Confidence Index for Oct-Dec 2025 rose to 89.1 from 79.2, driven by stronger domestic demand, improved credit access, and policy incentives. Survey results show higher expectations for sales, domestic orders, net profits and selling prices; 62% plan increased fixed capital investment while hiring intentions moderate to 52%, indicating a shift toward automation and productivity-led growth. Export optimism and sectoral improvements in sales and inventory sentiment reinforce the view that SMEs are transitioning from recovery to expansion, contingent on continued policy support and market diversification.

India-New Zealand FTA grants duty free access, a USD 20bn FDI pledge, and a 5,000 visa temporary employment pathway.
The India-New Zealand FTA grants duty-free access for many goods while excluding sensitive sectors such as dairy and specified agricultural and industrial products; secures a USD 20 billion FDI commitment over 15 years; creates a 5,000 visa annual temporary employment pathway for specified Indian professionals; establishes an Agri Technology Action Plan and Centres of Excellence; and enhances regulatory cooperation including acceptance of GMP/GCP inspection reports and facilitation of Geographical Indication registration for Indian wines and spirits.

Free Trade Agreement with New Zealand grants duty-free access to key Indian sectors and boosts market access.
The concluded Free Trade Agreement with New Zealand will enhance market access and investment flows by granting duty-free access to Indian sectors such as textiles, footwear, engineering and marine products. Concurrently, concerns were raised about potential repeal or weakening of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), while the Chief Justice directed the Supreme Court Registry to scrutinise and list urgent hearing requests and the Court stayed the conviction of a former state minister in a cheating and forgery case.

India-New Zealand free trade agreement grants duty-free market access for Indian goods and new visa and investment pathways.
The FTA eliminates tariffs on 100% of New Zealand tariff lines for Indian exports, granting duty free access to labour intensive and manufacturing sectors while protecting dairy. It secures services commitments across IT, professional and business services, enhanced mobility through work during study, post study pathways, a Working Holiday scheme, and a Temporary Employment Entry Visa with a 5,000 visa quota for specified skilled occupations. It also includes a New Zealand investment facilitation commitment and Agri Technology Action Plans for targeted horticulture and value chain improvements.

India-New Zealand FTA announced to enhance market access, boost investment flows, and expand opportunities for businesses and students.
An agreement to conclude a Free Trade Agreement between India and New Zealand was announced to deepen bilateral economic engagement by enhancing market access, promoting cross border investment flows, and strengthening strategic cooperation. The FTA aims to expand opportunities for innovators, entrepreneurs, farmers, MSMEs, students, and youth, and is linked to objectives of doubling bilateral trade within five years and attracting USD 20 billion of New Zealand investment over fifteen years.

India's dairy sector excluded from tariff concessions in the India-New Zealand free trade agreement, preserving protection for small farmers.
India and New Zealand concluded a bilateral free trade agreement negotiation in which India retained a complete exclusion for the dairy sector from import duty concessions, treating dairy as a red line to preserve tariff protection and market access restrictions for small domestic dairy farmers.

India-New Zealand FTA delivers zero-duty access for Indian goods and a 5,000-quota temporary skilled work visa.
The India-New Zealand FTA delivers zero-duty market access for all Indian goods in New Zealand including labour intensive sectors; secures a USD 20 billion FDI commitment from New Zealand over 15 years; grants broad services market access in IT, professional, education, financial, tourism, construction and related business services; and establishes a temporary employment entry visa for skilled Indian professionals with a 5,000 visa quota and stays of up to three years.

India-New Zealand free trade agreement grants zero duty access to 100% of India's exports and tariff liberalisation.
The India-New Zealand free trade agreement establishes Zero Duty market access on 100% of India's exports and broad tariff liberalisation (India liberalising 70% of lines covering 95% of bilateral trade), aimed at boosting labour-intensive and export-oriented sectors, while providing duty-free inputs for manufacturing.

India-New Zealand free trade agreement concluded, reducing tariffs on most goods and strengthening market access and services ties.
India and New Zealand concluded negotiations for a free trade agreement that will reduce or eliminate tariffs on a substantial share of goods and aim to expand bilateral trade and investment. The agreement is reported to remove or lower duties on 95% of New Zealand's exports to India and is presented as enhancing market access. The trade relationship is characterized by complementary goods-India's exports concentrated in fuels, textiles and pharmaceuticals, and New Zealand's in raw materials and agricultural inputs-and a significant services component led by education and IT.

India-New Zealand FTA concluded, cutting or removing tariffs on 95% of New Zealand exports and expanding market access.
Negotiations for a free trade agreement between India and New Zealand have been concluded, providing for tariff reduction or removal on 95 per cent of New Zealand exports to India and creating preferential tariff coverage and enhanced market access, with projected growth in bilateral exports and implementation dependent on schedules, rules of origin, and compliance measures.

Indian truck drivers at Benapole have been assured of safety; drivers advised to stay inside port amid unrest.
Bangladeshi authorities assured customs clearing agents that there is no threat to the Petrapole-Benapole port area or to Indian truck drivers, but drivers have been advised to remain inside the Benapole premises as a precaution while security is stepped up and officials continue to monitor trade operations amid unrest.

Land acquisition enforcement, animal migration protection, and urgent judicial and regulatory actions shape compliance and safeguards.
Parliamentary oversight urged rigorous enforcement of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement framework, identifying compliance gaps in scheduled areas and calling for stronger implementation, monitoring, and protections for affected communities; courts signalled a protective stance toward animals harmed by obstructed migration paths, and administrative actions included a special bench for urgent matters and a regulatory reaffirmation of food-safety standards.

India textile exports: need more free trade agreements to compete and reach export targets by 2030.
Pursue additional free trade agreements to secure market access and level the playing field with competing exporting nations, while targeting a domestic textile market of USD 350 billion by 2030 and USD 100 billion in textile exports. Address uncertainty over a US FTA, and combine trade-policy measures with exporter actions - exploring new markets, adopting eco-friendly manufacturing, responsible sourcing, and waste reduction - to support the goal of doubling exports in the near term; recent exports were USD 37.75 billion in 2024-25 and showed year-on-year growth in 2025.

Apollo Techno Industries SME IPO opens 23 December 2025; issue up to Rs. 47.96 crore, price band Rs. 123-130.
Apollo Techno Industries Limited is conducting a SME IPO of 3,689,000 equity shares aggregating up to Rs. 47.96 crore, priced at Rs. 123-Rs. 130 per share (face value Rs. 10) with a lot size of 1,000; anchor opens 22 December 2025 and the public offer runs 23-26 December 2025. Allocations are set for anchor, qualified institutional buyers, non institutional investors, individual investors and a market maker. Net proceeds will fund working capital and general corporate expenses. The Book Running Lead Manager and Registrar are named, and the release contains forward looking statement disclaimers.