Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal met with top Swiss business leaders in Bern on Monday to boost bilateral economic ties. The discussions, held under the framework of the recently signed Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) between India and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), focused on expanding cooperation in innovation, technology transfer, and sustainable manufacturing.
During his visit, Goyal interacted with senior leadership from some of Switzerland’s most prominent companies spanning sectors such as biotechnology, precision engineering, healthcare, defence, and emerging technologies. The Minister extended an open invitation for Swiss firms to expand their footprint in India, highlighting the vast potential of India’s rapidly growing economy, youthful talent base, and favorable investment climate.
Reaffirming India’s commitment to enabling global business, Goyal assured Swiss companies of a transparent regulatory framework, a robust intellectual property rights regime, and investor-friendly policies. He urged businesses to view India not merely as a large consumer market, but as a strategic hub for manufacturing, innovation, and global value chain integration.
Goyal chaired two sector-focused roundtable discussions with Swiss industry leaders. The first session spotlighted Biotech, Pharma, and Healthcare, while the second addressed Precision Engineering, Defence, and Emerging Technologies. Both events were hosted with support from the Indian Embassy in Switzerland and showcased India’s growing reputation as a destination for affordable innovation and scalable production.
The Minister highlighted the role of the EFTA Desk at Invest India, set up to provide facilitation support and handholding to potential Swiss investors. He emphasized India’s openness to working towards regulatory harmonization and mutual recognition agreements, further smoothing the path for Swiss-Indian partnerships.
Beyond business interactions, Goyal also met with members of the Switzerland Chapter of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI). He praised the chapter for its efforts in promoting India’s professional excellence abroad and strengthening the India–Switzerland economic and professional networks.
Swiss business leaders expressed robust confidence in India’s economic trajectory and its potential as a global innovation powerhouse. Commending India’s growing middle class, skilled workforce, and strong R&D capabilities, companies from a range of sectors voiced their intent to deepen engagement with India. Discussions touched on potential joint ventures, manufacturing localization, and co-development of high-tech solutions across fields such as cell sciences, cancer research, fibre optics, industrial automation, space technology, and cybersecurity.
Many Swiss companies acknowledged India as a natural partner, describing the bilateral economic relationship as one of strategic alignment and long-term commitment. For them, India represents both a key market and a springboard for accessing international customers through integrated supply chains and co-created technologies.