Swiss President Micheline Calmy-Rey visit of India
Swiss President Micheline Calmy-Rey starts an official visit of India on Monday an important step towards shifting Switzerland's relationship with India from traditional aid development programmes to joint ventures on themes of common interest in the signing of a joint declaration on privileged partnership, setting the foundations for closer links between the two countries.Swiss exports rose 38 per cent to SFr1.9 billion ($1.65 billion) in 2006 and imports were up 13 per cent to SFr737 million.
Christoph Graf, head of the SDC's South Asia division in the bilateral cooperation department, told swissinfo "We see many opportunities through our past investment, experiences and the networks we have developed to open doors for other players such as scientific and environmental institutions,"
Economics Minister Doris Leuthard visited India in August to push a proposed Free Trade Agreement between India and EFTA states – Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. Leuthard also signed a memorandum of understanding between Switzerland and India regarding intellectual property rights.
Several Swiss companies have set up business in India, including Holcim, Novartis, ABB, Nestlé and Sulzer.
Free trade talks started last December and EFTA members have invited Indian representatives to a further meeting in Geneva on December 3.
Christoph Graf, head of the SDC's South Asia division in the bilateral cooperation department, told swissinfo "We see many opportunities through our past investment, experiences and the networks we have developed to open doors for other players such as scientific and environmental institutions,"
Economics Minister Doris Leuthard visited India in August to push a proposed Free Trade Agreement between India and EFTA states – Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. Leuthard also signed a memorandum of understanding between Switzerland and India regarding intellectual property rights.
Several Swiss companies have set up business in India, including Holcim, Novartis, ABB, Nestlé and Sulzer.
Free trade talks started last December and EFTA members have invited Indian representatives to a further meeting in Geneva on December 3.
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