The AYUSH Ministry today said that the India and New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) has elevated AYUSH to a global platform and unlocked new pathways for wellness professionals. The landmark agreement was formally signed by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and New Zealand’s Minister for Trade and Investment, Todd McClay, last Monday. The Ministry of AYUSH informed that the Agreement facilitates market access across a wide range of service sectors, creating new opportunities for Indian Ayush practitioners, wellness institutions and service providers to engage with the New Zealand market.
It also said that the FTA institutionalises technical cooperation in AYUSH and traditional knowledge systems, laying the foundation for long-term collaboration in education, training, standards development and wellness services. By integrating traditional medicine into a modern trade framework, the Agreement reflects a shared commitment to sustainable health practices and people-centric development.
It also stressed that the visa quota will enable AYUSH practitioners and Yoga instructors, along with other Indian cultural and knowledge professionals, to work in New Zealand for extended durations. This provision reinforces India’s emergence as a global supplier of skilled wellness professionals while creating new employment avenues rooted in India’s traditional knowledge systems.
