New Delhi, Oct 5: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met Swiss President Guy Parmelin on Monday and highlighted the steady progress in India-Switzerland relations, with particular emphasis on the growing momentum around the India-European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA).
During the meeting, Jaishankar said India and Switzerland have continued to strengthen their engagement across several areas of mutual interest. He also expressed confidence that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with President Parmelin would provide further momentum to bilateral relations.
The discussions come as India and the EFTA countries — Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein — seek to deepen economic engagement under TEPA. The agreement is expected to create greater opportunities for trade, investment and business cooperation between India and the EFTA bloc.
Jaishankar’s meeting with the Swiss President reflects India’s focus on strengthening partnerships with European economies and creating new avenues for economic and commercial cooperation.
The India-Switzerland relationship has expanded beyond traditional areas of engagement, with opportunities emerging in sectors such as investment, technology, innovation, trade and advanced industries.
The implementation of TEPA is expected to provide Indian exporters with improved access to European markets while creating opportunities for Swiss and other EFTA businesses to participate in India’s rapidly expanding economy.
The two sides are also looking to build on the strong foundation of bilateral relations through sustained political dialogue and greater economic engagement.
The meeting underlines the shared commitment of India and Switzerland to further strengthen bilateral ties and translate the growing partnership into tangible opportunities for businesses, investors and people on both sides.