Agra (Uttar Pradesh) [India], April 26 (ANI): Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on Sunday said that the Free Trade Agreement with New Zealand will expand Agra's industry, opening up new job opportunities for the people.

Goyal's remarks came while he and his wife, Seema Goyal, were visiting the historic Taj Mahal with New Zealand's Minister for Trade and Investment, Todd McClay and his wife, Nadine McClay.

The minister's visit to the monument comes a day before both countries are set to sign the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on April 27.

'The New Zealand FTA is being signed tomorrow. Modi has signed agreements, free trade agreements, with 38 such large, prosperous, developed countries, under which two-thirds of the world's market is now open to free trade for India. So, I have full faith that Agra's industry will expand, flourish, and progress rapidly, and new job opportunities will open up in Agra on a large scale. The industry here will expand significantly, and with new things, we will bring glory to India across the world,' Piyush Goyal said.

Piyush Goyal held discussion with various Agra's industrialists from the numerous sectors like handloom, handicrafts, and carpets. He said that Agra will play crucial role in future, especially in exports.

'I was fortunate that today I got the opportunity to have a very detailed and meaningful discussion with Agra's industry. The excellent work being done in Agra, across various industries, be it the leather industry, textiles, or spices industry, and the way I learned about numerous sectors like handloom, handicrafts, and carpets, makes it clear that Agra will play a crucial role in the future, especially in exports. We also discussed various issues that hinder Agra's industry's rapid growth,' he said.

'I also spoke with the Chief Minister's office about what new plans we can make for Agra's industry. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it has been decided to establish 100 new industrial parks across the country. We want one near Agra to provide the industry here with a well-planned, plug-and-play infrastructure, allowing it to grow. At the same time, we want to open large export markets for these industries,' he added.

India and New Zealand had announced the start of FTA negotiations in March 2025, and after multiple rounds of discussions, the agreement was concluded in December 2025, marking one of India's fastest-concluded FTAs.

According to the Indian government statement, the concluded agreement will provide unprecedented duty-free access for Indian exports to New Zealand while safeguarding sensitive sectors. It is also expected to strengthen economic resilience and promote inclusive growth aligned with India's national priorities. (ANI)