Archive · 6 Oct 2026
India and Switzerland Deepen Trade and Investment Partnership
India and Switzerland want to work more closely on business and investment.
Their leaders met in New Delhi to discuss ways to make trade easier.
India also has a trade agreement with Switzerland and three other European countries.
The agreement is meant to support investment, innovation and jobs.
India hopes to sell more farm goods, medicines, textiles and engineering products in Switzerland.
It also wants Swiss businesses to invest in sectors such as biotechnology, banking and food processing.
The leaders discussed other areas too, including artificial intelligence, defence and science.
They also said cooperation could help address challenges around the world.
Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal said India and Switzerland are pursuing stronger market access, investment and cooperation.
India and the four European Free Trade Association countries implemented their Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement in October 2025.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Swiss President Guy Parmelin met in New Delhi on Monday and reviewed bilateral ties.
Modi said agreements would expand access in Switzerland for Indian agricultural, pharmaceutical, textile and engineering exports.
The two sides discussed Swiss investment and cooperation in areas including biotechnology, banking, AI, defence, science and technology.
- Who
- India and Switzerland, represented in the meeting by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Swiss President Guy Parmelin; Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal also described the partnership.
- What
- The countries are seeking to deepen trade, investment and cooperation, alongside implementation of the India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement.
- When
- The leaders met on Monday; Agarwal commented on Tuesday. The agreement was implemented in October 2025.
- Where
- New Delhi, India.
- Why
- To expand market access, facilitate investment and strengthen cooperation in areas including infrastructure, technology, innovation and supply chains.
Agreement and cooperation
Challenges and implementation
Trade and investment goals
Agreement and cooperation
Indian officials said the agreement and bilateral decisions could improve market access, boost Indian exports and attract Swiss investment.
Challenges and implementation
The articles do not report criticism or opposition to these goals; they describe them as priorities still to be translated into concrete outcomes.
- Trade agreement
- The Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) links India with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA).
- Implementation
- India and the four EFTA members implemented TEPA in October 2025.
- EFTA members named
- Switzerland, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein.
- Meeting location
- New Delhi.
- Indian exports highlighted
- Agricultural, pharmaceutical, textile and engineering goods.
- Potential Swiss investment sectors
- Biotechnology, life sciences, banking, insurance, food processing and sustainability.
- Other cooperation topics
- AI, military matters, defence production, nuclear energy, science and technology, and people-to-people ties.