The article first appeared in The Hindu on March 14, 2024
On Sunday, India signed a Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) with a bloc of four European countries — Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, formally known as the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). The pact has been in the works since 2008 but slipped off India’s to-do list after the UPA government’s exit. In market access terms, the deal offers more room for Indian services firms, with easier visa rules, so that they can also tap other European markets using these countries as a base.