"FTA not agreement of immigration, visas are sovereign decisions": MEA on India-New Zealand agreement
Auckland, July 11
Ministry of External Affairs on Saturday said that immigration was the most misunderstood part of a Free Trade Agreement. The Ministry differentiated between immigration and 'mobility of skilled manpower', with commitments for the latter already put in the FTA.
Addressing a special media briefing during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official visit to New Zealand, Secretary (East) in the MEA, Rudrendra Tandon said that visas are a sovereign decision of a country.
"So on the issue of immigration, there is a lot of misunderstanding. The FTA is not an agreement for immigration. Immigration and mobility of skilled manpower are two different issues altogether. The commitments that were crafted in the FTA pertain to mobility of skilled manpower under the existing laws that New Zealand has," he said.
"On visas, the visa... this is actually a question you need to address to the New Zealand side. That's a sovereign decision. In the sense that as long as our businesses can work, our students get to study, they get the exchanges as planned by the two sides are taking place. Visa decision and conferring visas is a sovereign decision that we can't really comment upon at this juncture. We have to go by that sovereign decision," he added.
Tandon also said that the discussions between the two Prime Ministers basically sought to move the relationship forward.
"But let me talk to you a little about what was achieved, to give you a flavor of it. The discussions between the two Prime Ministers basically sought to move the relationship forward. One of the most significant decisions that were taken, which you may have heard about already... I've been watching the news so far... is the decision by the two Prime Ministers to raise the relationship to a Strategic Partnership."
"They also decided that this goal of a more strategic relationship would be approached systematically, for which they decided that there would be a roadmap to take us forward for the next couple of years. This roadmap has been summarized, in fact, in a document which is being released along with the joint statement that the two Prime Ministers are issuing at the conclusion of their talks, which you would have also seen," Tandon added.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Finally some clarity on visa vs immigration confusion! Our students going to NZ for education will appreciate this. But I hope the strategic partnership includes more than just trade—cultural exchanges matter too. 😊
As someone who works in IT and has colleagues in NZ, this makes sense. FTA isn't a free pass for everyone—it's a framework for skilled professionals. Visa decisions stay with the host country. That's basic sovereignty 101.
Good that they're clearing up misunderstandings. But I do wish our govt was more transparent about what exactly is in these "mobility of skilled manpower" clauses. Too often these deals are announced without public scrutiny. A bit more detail would help build trust.
Raising ties to Strategic Partnership sounds promising! PM Modi's visit seems to have achieved practical outcomes. Hope this means more Indian businesses can collaborate with NZ firms beyond just IT—agriculture and renewable energy could be big opportunities. 🇮🇳🇳🇿
Misunderstanding about FTAs is real! Many of my friends thought this means easy visas for everyone. Good that MEA clarified. But honestly, New Zealand is quite protective of its labor market—our skilled workers will still face some barriers. Let's see how the roadmap works.
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