EFTA-India free trade agreement To Unlock $100 Billion Investment

Good news! Swiss chocolate for Indians (and Palak Paneer for Swiss)! 😊

The new TEPA agreement between the EFTA and India breaks with traditional trade agreements to accommodate Indian mercantilism

Good news! India, a rising superpower!

"... With this in mind, the interest of the EFTA states (Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) in a trade agreement with India is understandable. After 16 years and 21 rounds of negotiations, India and the EFTA signed a Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (Tepa) in March led by Switzerland. ...

These industrial policy ambitions [Make in India] also explain why the Indian government declared the investment promotion chapter to be a “sine qua non” in the negotiations. In it, the EFTA states commit to investing 100 billion US dollars and creating one million jobs by 2040. ...

Since the turn of the millennium, the EFTA states have invested almost 11 billion US dollars in India. More than half of this amount has been invested in the last five years. ...

In terms of realpolitik, however, this appears to be a pragmatic bet. Concluding the Tepa before India reaches an agreement with the UK or the EU could give India a competitive advantage. Moreover, the additional expansion of the Swiss free trade network – with Ecuador (2020), Indonesia (2021) and the UK (2021) – promises to make Switzerland more resilient in difficult geopolitical times. Switzerland’s free trade agreements now cover 77 countries and around 55 percent of the global market. ..."

Switzerland Bets on India - Avenir Suisse

EFTA and India sign Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement

Good news! Peace and prosperity through foreign trade!

"Today [3/10/2024], the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) States – Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland – and India signed a Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA). ..."

"“I am proud to have signed this agreement,” Parmelin told reporters in Bern on Monday. Negotiations between the EFTA states – Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein – began almost 16 years ago. ..."

EFTA and India sign Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement | European Free Trade Association

Swiss minister: India free trade deal offers competitive edge ‘for many years’ The free trade agreement signed on Sunday between the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) – of which Switzerland is a member – and India will provide “a competitive advantage" for many years, according to Swiss Economics Minister Guy Parmelin.

European Nations of EFTA to Invest $100 Billion in India in the next 15 years for open Indian market with Palki Sharma

This is huge news! I barely knew that EFTA still exists. India, a rising superpower!