India Wooing Swiss Investment: Proposed Enclave

Bern, Jun 10 (PTI) Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday proposed to develop a dedicated enclave for Swiss businesses in India as he sought to attract investment from the European country.

Addressing industry representatives of India and Switzerland here, he invited companies to invest in India as the country provides huge opportunities for them.

"We could even create a Swiss enclave, an area dedicated to Swiss businesses," Goyal said.

He added that the enclave could have restaurants, hotels, schools and colleges for Swiss citizens who would come to work in the units of those enclaves.

India is inviting companies to set up units in industrial parks that are being set up in the proposed industrial corridors in different parts of the country.

The minister is here on a two-day visit. He is meeting leaders and businesses to boost trade and investments between the two countries.

The government has announced an investment of about Rs 28,000 crore to set up 12 industrial nodes and build 100 industrial parks in the country.

These industrial areas will be located at Khurpia in Uttarakhand, Rajpura-Patiala in Punjab, Dighi in Maharashtra, Palakkad in Kerala, Agra and Prayagraj in UP, Gaya in Bihar, Zaheerabad in Telangana, Orvakal and Kopparthy in Andhra Pradesh, and Jodhpur-Pali in Rajasthan.

He added that the Swiss business can identify locations in India for the development of an enclave.


"It's the Swiss business persons who will have to choose where in India they would like to set up a Swiss enclave," he said adding they can consider things like local climate, incentives, level of industrialization or the availability of skilled and trained talent.

"I leave it to the Swiss companies to decide. I have requested the president of SWISSMEM and also the government of Switzerland to engage with their industry and identify where they would like us to look at a Swiss enclave if they are decided so far," Goyal said.

The minister also shared that he facilitated the resolution of a land issue of a Swiss company, whose unit is in Maharashtra, in just about two-and-a-half hours.

"This is a real-time example of quick government response and it served as a strong message that India can, and India will deliver," he said.

On Tuesday, Goyal held a meeting with the heads of Swiss companies. During the discussions, a representative of a Swiss company, which has a presence in Maharashtra, stated that they want to acquire 10 acres (around 40,000 sq meter) of land near their existing unit but are facing certain issues as it was designated as a green zone.

The Swiss company has been operating in India for nearly 20 years, with a plant located in Maharashtra.

Acting on the matter, Goyal immediately sent the company's request and supporting documents directly to the Industry Secretary of Maharashtra and in just two and a half hours, a response came that the land would be made available.

Goyal shared this during the SWISSMEM Conference.

"I sent the company's application to the Maharashtra Industry Secretary at 11:33 am (local time) in the morning ... I just received the reply. Within two hours and fifteen minutes, the MIDC (Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation) land allotment team discussed the matter. It has been confirmed that approximately 40,000 square meters can be made available... They will shift the green zone to another location," he said.

The announcement was made in front of representatives of around 1,000 Swiss companies and a delegation of about 90 Indian companies. The move is important as Switzerland is actively looking to invest in India on a large scale.