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

Minutes before India and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries signed a free trade agreement (FTA), on March 10, there was the ceremonial gift exchange between Swiss state secretary for economic affairs, Helene Budliger Artieda, who led the negotiations for EFTA, and India’s trade minister, Piyush Goyal. Artieda presented Goyal with a candid picture showing their first meeting on the sidelines of the G20 in Bali in 2022.

Impressed with the wrapping of the framed picture, Goyal quipped, “We should get the packaging technology also to India.”

On the face of it, the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) with