Piyush Goyal discusses progress of FTA deal during EFTA delegation meet

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal held a meeting with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) delegation led by Swiss State Secretary for Economic Affairs, Helene Budliger Artieda, and Norwegian Minister of Trade and Industry, Jan Christian Vestre, on Wednesday.

"Held a meeting with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) delegation, led by Ms. Helene Budliger Artieda, Swiss State Secretary for Economic Affairs and Mr. Jan Christian Vestre, Norwegian Minister of Trade and Industry," the union minister said in a post on 'X'.

During the meeting, Goyal discussed the progress of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations with EFTA nations and explored avenues to further strengthen partnerships across key sectors.

Recently, Piyush Goyal concluded a "highly successful" meeting with a delegation from the EFTA, led by the Swiss State Secretary for Economic Affairs, Helene Budliger Artieda.

The meeting took place in London from July 11 to July 12. Helene Budliger Artieda was also accompanied by industry stakeholders from the pharmaceutical, machinery and electronics industries of the EFTA states.

The deliberations between Minister Piyush Goyal and State Secretary Helene Budliger Artieda "were fruitful and detailed discussions on crucial issues, with the shared goal of swiftly concluding" the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) negotiations, the commerce ministry said in a release.

The primary objective of these negotiations is to establish a "fair, mutually beneficial, and comprehensive" trade deal between India and EFTA.

Over the past few months, India and EFTA have significantly intensified their engagement, highlighting the commitment of both parties to achieving an early conclusion to the TEPA negotiations.

The commerce ministry's release added that the meeting in London further bolstered this commitment, with both sides demonstrating a strong willingness to progress towards a final agreement.

Minister Piyush Goyal expressed his satisfaction with the progress made during the meeting, highlighting the constructive and collaborative nature of the discussions. He emphasised the importance of a comprehensive trade deal that addresses the needs and aspirations of both India and EFTA.