Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, embarked on a significant diplomatic and economic mission in Bern, Switzerland, on June 9, 2025, engaging with key Swiss industry leaders to chart a forward-looking roadmap for Indo-Swiss cooperation. His visit marked a major step in operationalizing the recently signed Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) between India and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA).
In a series of high-powered meetings, Minister Goyal interacted with leadership from top-tier Swiss companies across sectors including biotechnology, healthcare, precision engineering, defence, automation, and emerging technologies. The primary focus was to deepen economic collaboration, foster innovation-driven partnerships, and promote sustainable manufacturing practices.
Enhancing Economic Synergies Through Strategic Dialogue
The Minister emphasized the vast potential for collaboration between Indian and Swiss enterprises, particularly in technology transfer, green technologies, and advanced manufacturing. Stressing India’s status as a preferred investment destination, Shri Goyal extended an open invitation to Swiss firms to expand their operational presence in India, and leverage the nation’s dynamic market, skilled talent pool, and robust industrial infrastructure.
He assured industry representatives of the Indian government’s commitment to maintaining a transparent and investor-friendly regulatory ecosystem, which includes a strong intellectual property rights (IPR) regime and an enabling policy environment that supports ease of doing business.
Focused Sectoral Roundtables: A Platform for Partnership
Further strengthening the engagement, Shri Goyal chaired two focused roundtable discussions with Swiss sectoral leaders. Organized with the support of the Indian Embassy in Switzerland, these sessions delved into collaborative opportunities in:
- Biotech, Pharma, and Healthcare, where India’s affordability and manufacturing scale stood out.
- Precision Engineering, Defence, and Emerging Technologies, where India’s rising innovation ecosystem was spotlighted.
These interactions revealed substantial interest from Swiss stakeholders in aligning with India’s industrial vision. Companies expressed enthusiasm for joint ventures, localized manufacturing, and co-development of cutting-edge solutions.
Invest India’s EFTA Desk and Regulatory Cooperation
To streamline collaboration and investment facilitation, the Minister highlighted the role of the dedicated EFTA Desk at Invest India, which offers handholding support and sector-specific guidance. He also emphasized India’s proactive stance on regulatory harmonization and mutual recognition agreements, reiterating the government’s readiness to build reciprocal bridges that encourage long-term partnerships.
Engagement with ICAI Switzerland Chapter
Apart from industry engagements, Shri Goyal also interacted with the Switzerland Chapter of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI). He commended the chapter for upholding the global standards of Indian accounting and playing a key role in strengthening the professional and business ties between India and Switzerland.
Strong Vote of Confidence from Swiss Industry
Swiss business leaders voiced strong confidence in India’s economic trajectory, praising its:
- Expanding middle class and consumption base
- World-class technical and scientific workforce
- Pro-innovation and pro-business policy architecture
- Strategic position as a manufacturing and R&D hub
Many described India as a “natural partner” in their global strategy, with firms showing active interest in forming joint ventures, setting up innovation labs, and scaling up for both Indian and international markets.
