India Efta Trade

Best of BS Opinion: Where are India's HNIs when it needs them?

Today's Opinion page looks at India's ambitious carbon trading policy, as well as the EFTA deal. Our columnists ponder what can be done to get Indian HNIs to invest and stay in the country

India-EFTA trade pact to take effect on Oct 1 with $100 bn investment plan

The free trade agreement between India and the four-nation European bloc EFTA will come into force from Wednesday under which New Delhi has received an investment commitment of USD 100 billion in 15 years from the grouping while allowing several products such as Swiss watches, chocolates and cut and polished diamonds at lower or zero duties. The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) members are Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. It was signed on March 10, 2024. Domestic customers will get access to high-quality Swiss products such as watches, chocolates, biscuits, and clocks at lower prices as India will phase out customs duties under the trade pact on these goods over 10 years. The bloc committed an investment of USD 100 billion -- USD 50 billion within 10 years after the implementation of the agreement and another USD 50 billion in the next five years - which would facilitate the creation of one million direct jobs in India. This is a first-of-its-kind pledge agree

EFTA to come into effect from Oct 1, negotiating FTAs with others: Goyal

The EFTA bloc comprises four nations - Iceland, Switzerland, Norway and Liechtenstein. The deal was signed in March last year but will kick in from Thursday

India bets on EFTA, UK FTAs to offset US tariff hit on marine exports

Officials told a parliamentary panel that India's FTAs with EFTA and the UK will ease the impact of US tariffs on marine exports, while diversifying markets beyond America

India-EFTA agreement set to be launched on October 1 after long wait

India's first European trade deal ensures $100 bn investment, tariff cuts, and potential for 1 million jobs over 15 years

India, New Zealand to hold next round of FTA talks in October 2025

India and New Zealand will hold the next round of negotiations for the proposed trade pact on October 13-14 here, the commerce ministry said on Friday. The third round of negotiations for the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) concluded on September 19 in Queenstown, New Zealand. "Both sides agreed to maintain momentum through inter-sessional engagements. The next round of in-person negotiations is scheduled to be held in New Delhi on 13-14 October, 2025," it said. The third round, held from September 15-19, 2025, witnessed constructive discussions across all areas of the agreement. Several chapters were concluded, and significant progress was achieved in other key domains, it said. The FTA was formally launched on March 16, 2025. India's bilateral merchandise trade with New Zealand stood at USD 1.3 billion in 2024-25, registering a growth of nearly 49 per cent over the previous year. "The proposed FTA is expected to further boost trade flows, promote investment linkag

India, EFTA trade pact to come into force from Oct 1: Switzerland

The free trade agreement between India and four-European nation bloc EFTA, which will come into force from October 1, will have legally binding provisions on trade and sustainable development, Switzerland said on Wednesday. "For the first time, India has laid down legally binding provisions on trade and sustainable development in a free trade agreement," it said in a statement. The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) members are Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. The two sides signed the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) on March 10, 2024. Under the pact, India has received an investment commitment of USD 100 billion in 15 years from the grouping while allowing several products such as Swiss watches, chocolates and cut and polished diamonds at lower or zero duties. The bloc committed an investment of USD 100 billion USD 50 billion within 10 years after the implementation of the agreement and another USD 50 billion in the next five years which would

India-EFTA trade pact to boost stable, predictable business ties: Goyal

The free trade agreement (FTA) between India and the four-nation European bloc EFTA will bring stability, predictability and continuity to businesses in the regions, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Tuesday. He said while India provides huge market and skilled professionals, Switzerland has advanced manufacturing capabilities. The two sides signed the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) on March 10, 2024. Under the pact, India has received an investment commitment of USD 100 billion in 15 years from the grouping while allowing several products such as Swiss watches, chocolates, and cut and polished diamonds at lower or zero duties. The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) members are Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. "The agreement will give stability, predictability and continuity in the partnership," Goyal said here while addressing businesses of both regions. The agreement is expected to be operationalised from October. He added

India-EFTA trade pact expected to come into effect from Sept 2024: Goyal

The free trade agreement (FTA) between India and the four-nation European bloc EFTA is likely to come into force from September, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Monday. The two sides signed the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) on March 10, 2024. Under the pact, India has received an investment commitment of USD 100 billion in 15 years from the grouping while allowing several products such as Swiss watches, chocolates, and cut and polished diamonds at lower or zero duties. The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) members are Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. "It will enter into force by September," Goyal told reporters. He said the agreement has received approval from the Parliaments of all four countries. In Switzerland, there is an objection period open until July 10. July and August are holiday months here. He is here for an official visit to meet leaders and businesses to promote trade and investments between India and ...

India sets up EFTA desk to promote trade, investment, biz facilitation

India is setting up a dedicated platform - EFTA (European Free Trade Association ) desk - to promote trade, investment, and business facilitation between the two regions, an official statement said on Monday. India and the four European nations EFTA bloc signed a free trade agreement on March 10 last year to boost trade and investment ties. The pact, officially dubbed as Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA), is expected to come into force by the end of this year. The EFTA members are Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. The setting up of the desk is important as under the pact, India has received an investment commitment of USD 100 billion in 15 years from the grouping while allowing several products such as Swiss watches, chocolates and cut and polished diamonds at lower or zero duties. This is a first-of-its-kind pledge agreed upon in any of the trade deals signed by India so far. It will be inaugurated by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal along

EFTA investor delegation to visit Delhi to explore business ties: Goyal

EFTA representatives will be in the national capital with more than 100 investors

UK trade secy Jonathan Reynolds to visit India in Feb for FTA talks

Britain's Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Jonathan Reynolds, on Monday revealed plans to visit India next month with a focus on finalising the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations as part of the UK government's ambition to elevate the bilateral partnership across all sectors. Addressing India Global Forum's (IGF) annual UK-India Parliamentary Lunch at the House of Lords complex in London, Reynolds highlighted the strength of the bilateral trading relationship which stood at GBP 41 billion in the year until September 2024. However, the Cabinet minister went on to reaffirm the British government's commitment to improve trade between India as the fifth and the UK as the sixth largest economies of the world. I want to reaffirm the UK's commitment to deliver growth for both countries through the trade deal that we're talking about, through the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and the Technology Security Initiative; and I can let you know exclusively, I hear what you say

Commerce secy visits Norway to discuss trade pact implementation with EFTA

Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal has visited Norway to discuss the possibility of an early implementation of a free trade agreement between India and the four-nation European bloc EFTA, an official statement said on Saturday. The agreement, officially dubbed as Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA), was inked in March. The implementation date has not yet been finalised. The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) members are Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. "The visit was aimed at furthering the objectives of and unlocking the large market in EFTA countries for Indian exports of goods and services and push for early implementation of USD 100 billion investment," the commerce ministry said Barthwal met Tomas Norvoll, State Secretary of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries of Norway for discussions on promoting trade and investments, mobility for Indian professionals, re-energising existing institutional mechanisms and the next steps for the TEPA ..

Switzerland govt submits EFTA-India trade agreement to Parliament

In 2018, after EFTA and Indonesia signed an FTA, a Swiss non-government organisation Public Eye highlighted deforestation in Indonesia for palm tree cultivation as well as the death of orangutans

India-EFTA trade deal: Swiss Federal Council begins ratification process

Switzerland's federal cabinet has adopted the ambitious trade pact between India and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and placed it before Parliament as part of the ratification process. The ambitious trade pact, signed in March between India and the European bloc comprising Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Liechtenstein, aims at expanding trade across a range of areas, including pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, new technologies and machinery. Under the mega trade deal, the four European countries are looking at making an investment of USD 100 billion in India over the next 15 years. Each of the signatory countries will have to ratify the pact for its roll out. On Wednesday, the Federal Council adopted a dispatch on the free-trade agreement between the EFTA states and India, the Swiss government said in a statement. The Federal Council, which is the Swiss federal cabinet, is the highest executive authority in the country. The Swiss Parliament is expected to debate the ..

India, EFTA trade pact under ratification process: MoS Jitin Prasada

The government on Friday said the free trade agreement signed between India and the four European nation bloc EFTA in March is under the ratification process in those countries. In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada said that there is no fixed time frame for the ratification, as the process is different in each of the EFTA (European Free Trade Association) countries. In March, India and EFTA signed a Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA). Under the pact, India will receive the investment in 15 years from the grouping while allowing several products such as Swiss watches, chocolates and cut and polished diamonds at lower or zero duties. The EFTA members are Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. "The TEPA agreement is under the ratification process in the national parliament or legislature of each EFTA country," Prasada said. In India, such trade pacts are approved by the Union Cabinet. According to the

India, EU discuss CBAM concerns ahead of eighth round of FTA talks

Oman is seeking duty concessions on petrochemical products such as polypropylene and polyethylene, used primarily in the plastics industry

What lies ahead for the India-EFTA countries free-trade agreement?

India's interest in trade and economic partnership with EFTA countries stems from the expertise of affluent member-nations in precision technology, and India's appetite for foreign direct investment

India-EFTA agreement aligns tariff concessions with investment promotion

In exchange for tariff reduction, EFTA countries will increase foreign investments in India

Protectionism to continue if BJP comes back to power

The commerce minister left no one in any doubt that the government will protect the domestic producers as long as they felt that it was necessary