Team Siliconindia

• Union Minister Piyush Goyal held strategic talks with Swiss industry leaders in Bern on June 9, 2025, to boost economic ties under the India-EFTA TEPA.
• Focused roundtables on Biotech, Pharma, Precision Engineering, and Emerging Tech highlighted India’s strengths in innovation, affordability, and scale.
• Swiss firms expressed strong interest in investing, forming JVs, and using India as a global hub for R&D, manufacturing, and tech collaboration.

Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal, held extensive engagements with Swiss industry leaders in Bern, Switzerland, aimed at deepening economic cooperation and exploring new avenues under the recently signed Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) between India and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA).

The Minister met with leadership from several premier Swiss companies across diverse sectors with discussions focused on enhancing synergies between Indian and Swiss enterprises, with a special emphasis on innovation, technology transfer, and sustainable manufacturing.The Minister extended a warm invitation to Swiss companies to expand their footprint in India and take advantage of the country’s dynamic and rapidly growing market.

Shri Goyal assured the leadership of India’s unwavering commitment to fostering a conducive business environment through transparent regulatory processes, a robust intellectual property regime, and pro-investment policy frameworks. He encouraged Swiss businesses to explore India not just as a market, but as a strategic hub for manufacturing, talent, and innovation.

After these strategy discussions, the Minister met with the heads of industry sectors of Swiss industry in two focused roundtables on Biotech & Pharma, Healthcare, and Precision Engineering, Defence, and Emerging Technologies. With these sessions, hosted with the support of the Indian Embassy in Switzerland, India highlights its scale, affordability, and rising innovation ecosystem.

The Minister called on Swiss businesses to leverage the dedicated EFTA Desk at Invest India for handholding and facilitation support. He reiterated India’s willingness to work towards regulatory harmonization and mutual recognition agreements, highlighting India’s proactive stance on building reciprocal bridges to encourage Swiss and Indian investments.

In addition to industry interactions, the Minister also met with members of the Switzerland Chapter of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI). He lauded the chapter for their contributions and for upholding the high standards and global reputation of the ICAI, while strengthening the India–Switzerland professional and business ecosystem.

Swiss industry leaders across a diverse range of sectors including biotechnology, precision manufacturing, healthcare, automation, defence, cybersecurity, and advanced materials expressed strong confidence in India’s trajectory as a global economic powerhouse and an innovation-led growth destination.

They applauded India for its strong, unique strengths: a vast and dynamic market, growing middle class, exceptional engineering and scientific talent, and a policy environment that actively promotes ease of doing business, IP protection, and technology partnerships. For most, India is a promising market but also an ideal base for manufacturing, R&D, and co-creation of globally competitive solutions.

Several firms indicated active interest in forming joint ventures, scaling operations, and localizing production to serve both Indian and international markets. From cutting-edge cancer therapies and cell sciences to industrial automation, fibre optics, space technologies, and digital security, Swiss companies underscored their alignment with India’s developmental priorities and sectoral growth plans.The sentiment was one of strategic alignment and long-term commitment. Many participants described India as a  natural partner  and conveyed readiness to invest in its next phase of growth not only to tap into domestic demand but to position India as a hub in their global value chains.