Parliament Question: India-EFTA, TEPA

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4033 ANSWERED ON 17/03/2026 INDIA-EFTA TEPА 4033. SHRI JAGDAMBIKA PAL: Will the Minister of COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग मंत्री) be pleased to state: (a) the key benefits accruing to India from the India-European Free Trade Association (EFTA), Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA), which entered into force on 1st October 2025, including the $100 billion investment commitment over 15 years and 1 million direct jobs; (b) the sectors which are primarily impacted positively, such as textiles, engineering goods, chemicals, processed foods, rice, marine products and services like IT and professional mobility, along with specific tariff concessions granted by EFTA on 92.2% of tariff lines covering 99.6% of India's exports (including duty-free access for basmati and non-basmati rice); and (c) whether GI-tagged products such as Kalanamak rice stand to benefit from tariff reductions or duty free access to EFTA markets under TEPA, given concessions on rice and processed agricultural products and if so, the details thereof, including measures taken by the Government to promote such exports and protect GI tags under the agreement's IPR provisions? ANSWER वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग मंत्रालय में राज्यमंत्री (श्री णिणिन प्रसाद) THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (SHRI JITIN PRASADA) (a) & (b) India and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) signed the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) on 10th March 2024. EFTA is an inter- governmental organization comprising of Switzerland, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein. TEPA has entered into force with effect from 1st October 2025. Under TEPA, EFTA has committed to promote foreign direct investments by USD 100 billion in India in the next 15 years and to facilitate the generation of 1 million direct employments in India, through such investments. TEPA provides enhanced market access for key Indian exports across EFTA markets. With tariff concessions covering 92.2% of tariff lines, sectors such as machinery, 1engineering goods, organic chemicals, textiles, rice, marine products and processed foods are expected to benefit from the Agreement. India has safeguarded its sensitive sectors such as dairy, soya, coal and sensitive agricultural products under TEPA. The product- specific reduction in tariff by EFTA on Indian imports is available in Annex 2.D, 2.E and 2.F of the TEPA. The Agreement is accessible on Department of Commerce’s website: (https://www.commerce.gov.in/international-trade/trade-agreements/india-efta-tepa/). EFTA investments will give impetus to “Make in India” and Atmanirbhar Bharat by encouraging domestic manufacturing in sectors such as Infrastructure and Connectivity, Manufacturing, Machinery, Pharmaceuticals, Chemicals, Food Processing, Transport and Logistics, Banking and Financial Services and Insurance. TEPA also presents strong opportunities in IT, business services, cultural and recreational services, education, and audio-visual services. (c) Indian rice has secured tariff concessions under TEPA, thereby improving access for GI-tagged products in EFTA markets. TEPA also establishes a robust institutional mechanism to facilitate market access for Indian exports by addressing non-tariff barriers through Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures (Chapter 4 of TEPA), which aims to facilitate trade while protecting human, animal, and plant life and health. The TEPA (Chapter 8) includes provisions relating to intellectual property aimed at safeguarding the authenticity and reputation of Indian GI products. The Government has been undertaking various initiatives to promote exports of GI-tagged products through branding and marketing support, participation in international trade fairs, and export promotion schemes implemented through the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA). ***** 2