India can reverse mkt access to EFTA if FDI commitments not met: Artieda

$100 billion FDI is a massive number. It took my breath away, said Swiss State Secretary for Economic Affairs Helene Budliger Artieda

India and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) member states (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland) were able to clinch the long-pending trade deal days before the election code of conduct kicks in. In an interview with Asit Ranjan Mishra, Swiss State Secretary for Economic Affairs Helene Budliger Artieda — who led the negotiations from the EFTA side — says both sides respected each other’s sensitivities to conclude the trade deal. Edited excerpts:

Is there a sense of relief and achievement that the deal could be signed just before the election season in India?

We were really racing against the clock.