NEW DELHI — Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the President of Switzerland for bilateral talks, marking a major milestone in India-Switzerland ties following the implementation of the historic India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA).
The bilateral discussions focused on accelerating trade, launching cross-border infrastructure initiatives, expanding defense and nuclear cooperation, and facilitating high-skilled mobility for students and young professionals.
Key Bilateral Agreements & Strategic Highlights
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Trade & Investment Targets: Operates under the India-EFTA agreement, aiming to attract $100 billion in investments into India and generate 1 million direct jobs over the next 15 years.
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Transportation & Mobility Accord: Signed a new agreement covering transport, mobility, and infrastructure to boost Swiss participation in major Indian transit, tunneling, and airport projects (such as the Varanasi ropeway and Noida International Airport in Jewar).
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Workforce & Academic Mobility: Finalized the Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement and the Young Professionals Agreement to create educational and employment pathways for Indian students, researchers, and specialists in Switzerland.
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Sectoral Market Access: Expands trade avenues for Indian exports in agriculture, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and engineering, while inviting Swiss capital into biotechnology, life sciences, insurance, and green technology.
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Defense, Energy & Science: Agreed to deepen defense production ties, explore military exchanges, advance nuclear energy cooperation, and launch joint research programs across health, space, and clean energy.
Global Governance & Future Summits
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EFTA Prosperity Summit: Both leaders will attend the “Prosperity Summit” on October 7 alongside India-EFTA business leaders to translate trade commitments into direct capital deployments.
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Artificial Intelligence Roadmap: India offered support for Switzerland’s upcoming “Geneva AI Summit”, aligning both nations toward developing responsible, human-centric, and inclusive AI frameworks.
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Peace & Multilateral Reforms: Reaffirmed a shared commitment to democratic values, dialogue, and diplomacy regarding global conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia, while advocating for structural reforms across international institutions.
