A Swiss delegation led by the State Secretary of Economic Affairs, Helene Budliger, will be in India on Tuesday for talks on the Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
“Switzerland, as part of European Free Trade Association (EFTA), is very keen to conclude a long-term FTA negotiation with success and this is my top priority, because there is great potential between the economic relationship with India and EFTA countries, in particular Switzerland,” she said hours before leaving for India.
The EFTA is a free trade area between four countries, Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. Over the past 15 years, Switzerland and India have been in talks with each other on the FTA issue.
“I do hope we can better our offer very soon,” said Ms. Budliger, hoping that the visits would expedite the process and help get the agreement finalised at the earliest.
“With [Commerce and Industries] Minister [Piyush] Goyal , we have given us a timeframe because we are currently celebrating 75 years of friendship treaty. So the timeframe we have given is this year. And hopefully we will reach the finishing line,” she said.
Ms. Budliger said the Swiss government expected a mutually beneficial comprehensive agreement.
Indian-origin Swiss MP Niklaus Samuel Gugger will also be part of the delegation which will be meeting Mr. Goyal and Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, the second such visit in three weeks.
Ms. Budliger, who assumed office about six months ago, had met Mr. Goyal on the sidelines of the 2022 G-20 Summit in Indonesia.
India has recently completed trade agreement with Australia and the United Arab Emirates.
