The agreement eliminates customs duties on 100% of Indian exports to New Zealand, providing a major boost to Indian industries, particularly labour-intensive sectors such as textiles and leather. It is expected to enhance India’s competitiveness in global markets while expanding opportunities for exporters.
This year’s SCO meeting is taking place in the backdrop of geopolitical turmoil being witnessed due to the situation in West Asia. The SCO, one of the largest political & economic organisations of the region, may discuss measures to reduce the impact of the ongoing conflict.
The latest update from the Ministry of Railways says the corridor will use the Japanese J-Slab ballastless track system, based on Shinkansen technology, for the first time in India. Unlike conventional railway tracks that use loose ballast stones, this system uses a reinforced concrete track bed, cement asphalt mortar, pre-cast track slabs, rails and fasteners to create a highly stable track structure suitable for high-speed operations.
In Ayurveda, Sariva is not merely a “cooling herb.” Its deeper identity is that of a Rakta-prasadana and Rakta-shodhaka dravya — a herb that supports the clarity and balance of the blood tissue.
During the meeting, Doval conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the UAE leadership. According to the Indian Embassy in the UAE, both sides discussed measures to deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, along with the regional situation and other matters of common concern.
Tarabai was born into the powerful Mohite clan of the Marathas. Her father was Hambirrao Mohite, one of the most important Maratha commanders and the Sarnobat, or commander-in-chief, under Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
The mission is expected to give mushroom cultivation a structured policy framework rather than treating it as a small side activity. Reports say the government wants to scale production sharply, support growers with subsidies, create new production units, and bring women’s self-help groups into the centre of the programme. Some reports have pegged the proposed outlay at ₹12,960 crore, with a focus on training, production infrastructure and rural enterprise development.
The pact comes after negotiations that began in March 2025 and were concluded in December 2025, making it one of India’s faster recent trade agreements. New Zealand’s Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay has described the agreement as a major opening for exporters, while New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has projected it as a gateway to India’s 1.4 billion-consumer market.
The April data showed that manufacturing led the broader recovery in India’s private sector after growth had moderated in March amid disruptions linked to the Middle East conflict. The Manufacturing PMI Output Index climbed to 59.1 from 55.7, showing a sharper rise in production activity, while goods producers also reported faster growth in new orders compared with service providers.
Union Minister of State for Science and Technology and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh, reviewed the plan during a briefing by IN-SPACe Chairman Dr Pawan Goenka. The initiative is aimed at creating a skilled talent pipeline for India’s fast-expanding private space ecosystem, which has attracted more than USD 600 million in private investment over the last five years.
