India's Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal stated that the country has consistently refrained from offering duty concessions in the dairy sector under its free trade agreements (FTAs) with the European Union, the UK, New Zealand, and Australia. He highlighted that India's dairy sector is largely made up of small farmers with limited resources, who need protection from larger international farms. Goyal noted that while India does not allow the sale of imported dairy products in the domestic market, it permits foreign companies to bring in raw materials, process them, and re-export the finished products, thus benefiting the Indian economy without harming local farmers. The recent trade pact with New Zealand includes provisions for quota-based duty concessions on specific dairy products, with tariffs on bulk infant formula and other dairy preparations set to be phased out over seven years. New Zealand's dairy exports to India were valued at just USD 1.07 million in FY25, indicating limited trade in this sector.