After almost 16 years of negotiations, the European Free Trade Association, of which Switzerland is a member, has reached a basic agreement on a trade deal with India. Economics Minister Guy Parmelin travelled to Mumbai at the last-minute invitation of his Indian counterpart Piyush Goyal to drive the talks forward.

The agreement aims to create jobs for the young population in India and at the same time strengthen the Swiss economy. It is also intended to facilitate access to environmentally friendly technologies and promote investment. This development is seen as positive for both Switzerland and India, despite concerns from development organisations about poverty in India.