Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal to Visit Switzerland to discuss India-EFTA TEPA implementation
New Delhi, June 11
Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal will visit Switzerland to strengthen India-Switzerland economic partnership and facilitate discussions on implementation of the India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement, as per a statement by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry on Thursday.
As per the release, Goyal will visit Berne, Switzerland, on 12 June 2026 to discuss the implementation of TEPA, address operational issues arising from the agreement, and enhance bilateral trade, investment and institutional cooperation.
"India and the EFTA States--Switzerland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland--signed the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) in March 2024, which entered into force in October 2025. The Agreement provides a comprehensive framework for strengthening trade, investment and economic cooperation between the two sides," he said.
As per the release, Goyal is scheduled to meet Helene Budliger Artieda, State Secretary for Economic Affairs, and Guy Parmelin, Federal President of Switzerland. Additionally, he will also interact with representatives of the Swiss pharmaceutical industry.
"Discussions are expected to focus on the implementation of TEPA, addressing operational issues arising from the Agreement, and enhancing bilateral trade, investment and institutional cooperation," he said.
Apart from this, he will also interact with several Swiss companies and investors to discuss and explore the opportunities for strengthening the economic partnership between the countries.
"On the sidelines of the visit, the Minister will engage with Swiss companies and investors in Zurich to discuss opportunities for expanding bilateral trade and investment and to explore avenues for deeper economic collaboration," the release said.
"Goyal will be accompanied by senior officials from the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The visit is expected to support the effective implementation of TEPA and further strengthen the longstanding economic partnership between India and Switzerland," the release said.
— ANI
Reader Comments
While trade deals are important, I hope our small farmers and local industries don't get left behind. Need to ensure the benefits reach common people too, not just big companies.
Switzerland is a great partner for India. Their pharma industry is world-class, and this could boost generic drug exports. Just hope the implementation is smooth and bureaucratic hurdles are minimized.
Finally some proactive diplomacy! India needs more such agreements to diversify trade away from China dependency. Switzerland's neutrality also helps in global supply chain stability. 🙌
Interesting to see the health ministry officials accompanying. This hints at strong pharma cooperation. But we also need to ensure quality control standards are maintained when importing Swiss medicines. Safety first!
Why only focus on pharma? India has so much to offer in IT, textiles, and handicrafts. Hope the minister also pushes for visa liberalization for Indian professionals. We need more mobility, not just goods trade.
Switzerland is beautiful but business is business. Good to see our minister engaging with top officials. Let's hope the TEPA doesn't become another agreement that benefits only a few sectors. We need inclusive growth!
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