Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Guy Parmelin signed five pacts in New Delhi, including a migration partnership with multiple-entry visas of up to five years and a young-professionals exchange.
India and Switzerland signed five agreements on Monday during a state visit by President Guy Parmelin, including a migration and mobility partnership and a scheme for young professionals. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the two sides had identified new cooperation in military exchanges, defence production and nuclear energy.
The Ministry of External Affairs said the migration memorandum provides multiple-entry visas of up to five years, with stays of up to six months on each visit, and renewable one-year student permits. It is also meant to combat irregular migration and trafficking under each country's laws. The young-professionals agreement covers temporary work to build skills and language.
Parmelin's three-day visit marks the first anniversary of the India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement, in force since 1 October 2025. Modi called TEPA a blueprint for investment and jobs and repeated a goal of 100 billion dollars in investment and one million direct jobs in India over 15 years.
He said decisions taken on Monday would widen Swiss market access for Indian agriculture, pharmaceuticals, textiles and engineering goods, and draw investment into biotech, life sciences, banking, insurance, food processing and sustainability. Business Standard reported a further agreement on transport technologies and infrastructure.
No new defence contract or nuclear project was named in the public statements. The visa and young-professionals texts are the concrete instruments published from the visit.
People Sentiments Positive
- Narendra Modi said the two sides had identified new opportunities in defence production and nuclear energy.
- Modi said the mobility agreements would open opportunities in Switzerland for Indian students, researchers and young professionals.