Discuss how India–Switzerland cooperation in infrastructure, technology and mobility can support India's development goals.

India and Switzerland signed a Treaty of Friendship in 1948 [3]. Their partnership has since moved from goodwill to growth. The India–EFTA TEPA is India's first FTA with a European economic bloc, and in its first year the 5 October 2026 state visit added agreements on transport, mobility and talent [1]. Together, these can serve India's aims of modern infrastructure, innovation-led growth and jobs for its youth.

Infrastructure: building connectivity

• Swiss expertise is already at work in the Varanasi ropeway, Jewar (Noida) airport, hill railways and tunnelling [1]. These skills suit India's Himalayan and urban transport needs.
• A new Transport, Mobility & Infrastructure agreement makes this cooperation formal [1].
• TEPA's USD 100 bn FDI target over 15 years counts only long-term capital, not portfolio money [2]. This makes it a good fit for infrastructure finance.

Technology: innovation and responsible AI

• Joint research is planned in health, clean energy and space [1]. This supports India's energy-transition and public-health goals.
• An agreement with the University of Zurich will build the capacity of Indian science start-ups [1].
• Swiss investment is being sought in biotech, life sciences and food processing, which would raise value addition in India [1].
• Both sides back human-centric AI. India's AI Impact Summit 2026 will be followed by the Geneva AI Summit in 2027 [1].

Mobility: using the demographic dividend

• The Migration & Mobility Partnership and the Young Professionals Agreement open Swiss opportunities to Indian students, researchers and professionals [1].
• TEPA plans Mutual Recognition Agreements for nursing, chartered accountancy and architecture [2]. It also targets 1 million direct jobs [2].

Constraints

• Investment pace: Swiss FDI totalled about USD 10.87 bn over roughly 25 years [3]. EFTA's goal is USD 50 bn in the first 10 years, and the text only says it "shall aim to" reach this [2]. Inflows therefore need to rise sharply.
• Mobility without recognition: the MRAs are still only planned. Until they are signed, Indian professionals may not be able to work in their fields in Switzerland.

India–Swiss cooperation links Swiss capital and precision engineering with India's scale and talent. Three steps would turn these agreements into results: tracking FDI against the target every year, signing the MRAs quickly, and using the research partnerships fully. This would advance SDG 9 (industry, innovation and infrastructure) and SDG 8 (decent work), and help build a trusted partnership for a developed India.