October 24, 2025

‘$100bn investment over 15 yrs…creating 1mn direct jobs’

India has unlocked another gateway to prosperity, signing an innovative trade agreement with a wealthy bloc of European countries that has a per capita income of over $100,000. This opens a lucrative market for Indian farmers, fishermen and MSMEs, and accelerates PM Modi’s Viksit Bharat 2047 mission.
The Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) with the European Free Trade Association – Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein – that came into force from Oct 1, is historic. EFTA countries have pledged an investment of $100bn over 15 years-the first such commitment in any trade pact in the world. With this, govts of EFTA countries will champion investments in India, creating at least a million jobs, and catalysing PM Modi’s ‘Make in India’ mission.

For Viksit Bharat | Modi govt has shed hesitations of the past, embracing free trade agreements (FTAs) that catapult our products and services into premium, developed markets. These pacts don’t just open doors, they sharpen our industries, instilling competitiveness and quality that propel us forward. In July 2025, India sealed a landmark deal with UK, while talks with EU have progressed well. Earlier, PM Modi’s decisive hand delivered win-win agreements with Australia and UAE.
Indian industry stands tall today, brimming with confidence to conquer global arenas while thriving amid competition. Stakeholders have cheered every Modi-era FTA, crafted through exhaustive consultations, unlike the UPA regime’s hasty deals, struck without input and often with competing economies that got access to our markets but did not open their own doors adequately

This transformation traces back 11 years, when PM Modi rescued our economy from the ‘fragile five’ tag, and made it a magnet for trade and capital. The Modi govt dismantled inherited woes, stagnation, high inflation, corruption and inefficiencies through foundational reforms. The Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme alone had drawn *1.76L cr in investments by March 2025, spawning over 12L jobs. PM Gati Shakti and the National Logistics Policy have slashed costs and streamlined infra. Our digital backbone-Jan Dhan, UPI, and Trade Connect has democratised opportunity, powering 65,000cr transactions worth 12,000L cr in six years, lifting the underserved into the financial mainstream.

Investment, job creation | Now, EFTA’s $100bn infusion promises one million direct jobs and countless more indirectly. The investment pledge is a quantum leap from the mere $11.9bn FDI from these nations over the past 25 years. With India’s total FDI hitting $81bn in 2024-25, a14% surge, the real flow could eclipse commitments, thanks to the opportunity seen in the world’s fastest growing large economy and robust intellectual property rights (IPR) laws which are effectively enforced. TEPA bolsters IPR with enhanced cooperation on enforcement and streamlined PRODUCT OF INDIA safeguards, empowering innovators and luring high-tech capital amid rock-solid regulatory certainty.

Farmers and fishermen | Beyond FDI, labour-intensive exports like textiles and gems & jewellery will boom, generating waves of employment. EFTA’s affluent consumers crave our agri-goods, tea and coffee. India has shielded sensitive sectors like dairy, while unleashing opportunities for rice, guar gum, pulses, grape, mango, vegetables, millets and cashew. Duty cuts on processed delights like biscuits, confectionery chocolate and sauces sweeten the deal. Fishermen rejoice as exports of frozen shrimp, prawn, and squid will surge through seamless standards cooperation.

Aspirational Indians | Services get a turbo boost as TEPA paves the way for Mutual Recognition Agreements in nursing, accountancy and architecture, easing Indian professionals’ entry into EFTA. Doors swing wide open for IT, business, cultural, recreational, educational, and audio-visual services, slashing technical hurdles via proactive regulatory talks.

Removing barriers | TEPA transcends tariffs, weaving fair, transparent rules on food safety, animal and plant health, product quality, safety and consumer protection. Clear information sharing, verifications, import checks and certifications prevent these from becoming trade traps, smoothing Indian goods’ path to EFTA while inspiring industry to elevate standards at home. Our farmers and manufacturers will craft safer exports, pest-free produce, globally compliant products, there- by uplifting domestic quality too. Better testing and compliance mean healthier meals and reliable goods for every Indian family.

These deals ignite passion among manufacturers, service providers and ordinary citizens, who savour premium global products through deeper economic ties. At its heart, TEPA embeds sustainability, championing trade that drives inclusive growth, combats poverty and safeguards our environment. Reaffirming the Paris Agreement and ILO core principles, it fosters collaboration on climate action, gender equality, and biodiversity conservation, ensuring fair wages, safe jobs, and a greener planet. Through green tech exchanges and cooperation, it uplifts workers, slashes inequality and secures a thriving future for our children. Achild born in Modi’s India gets as many opportunities at home as in the Alps, the land of ice and fire, or in the land of the midnight sun!

India’s destiny is one of active participation, not isolation. As ancient seafarers from our civilisational state navigated uncharted waters with courage, today’s 140cr Indians rise as one- confident, determined and united. The goal is to expand the global footprint, empower through education and digital revolution, and build a sustainable future. Together, we restore India’s place as a leader in commerce, where trade and technology serve humanity, while innovation and inclusion advance hand in hand.