In March 2024, the countries of the European Free Trade Association, including Switzerland, signed TEPA, an extensive free trade agreement, with India. This milestone treaty will ensure that close to 95% of Swiss exports to India will benefit from customs relief. Importantly for investors, TEPA includes significant provisions for the protection of intellectual property, to an even higher level than passed WTO agreements.
Bilateral trade is forecasted to reach USD 25 billion in 2025 and India is now Switzerland’s seventh largest trading partner. Additionally, some 100 Indian companies and 330 Swiss companies employ 4,000 and 100,000 people in the other country, respectively.
This economic mission echoes also the success of the Swiss-Indian Innovation Week organized by Innovaud in September 2024.