Switzerland Ratifies Landmark EFTA-India Trade Pact, Paving Way for $100 Billion Investment…reports Asian Lite News
Switzerland has ratified the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) between India and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), officially clearing the final hurdle for the long-awaited trade pact.
With this move, all four EFTA member countries—Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway—have completed the necessary approval processes, paving the way for the agreement to be implemented in the coming months. The deal is expected to unlock $100 billion in investments and generate around 10 lakh jobs in India over the next 15 years.
Swiss Ambassador to India Maya Tissafi called the development a significant milestone in bilateral relations. She confirmed that the ratification process concluded without triggering a national referendum, indicating silent consent from the Swiss public. The absence of opposition was interpreted as broad support for closer trade ties with India.
The agreement is set to reduce tariffs, simplify customs procedures, strengthen intellectual property protections, and reinforce the legal and institutional framework for foreign investment. Certain goods will be subject to gradual tariff reductions, which are expected to benefit high-value Swiss manufacturing and technology sectors while also increasing market access for Indian exporters. The pact includes provisions that promote sustainable and innovation-led trade, with cooperation extending into areas such as education, climate action, and research.
Switzerland is among India’s top foreign investors, with cumulative investments rising significantly in recent years. According to reporting by Moneycontrol, the deal reflects a broader trend of deepening Indo-Swiss cooperation across strategic sectors, including disaster risk reduction, vocational training, and high-tech innovation. One of the key initiatives in this partnership is the Swiss-Indian Innovation Platform, launched in Bengaluru, which fosters collaboration between Indian institutions like the IITs and leading Swiss universities and companies.
India’s Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal recently visited Switzerland for high-level meetings aimed at finalising the operational roadmap for TEPA. Discussions with senior Swiss officials focused on expediting investment approvals, promoting skills and training programmes, and aligning regulatory frameworks to enhance business efficiency. The Indian government is also establishing a dedicated EFTA Desk to streamline investment flows and support smoother market entry for companies based in EFTA nations.
As all four EFTA countries move forward in unison, the TEPA deal signals a new phase in India’s global trade engagement. With its combination of economic opportunity, investor protections, and strategic cooperation, the agreement is set to elevate India’s ties with Europe’s advanced economies to a new level.
