New Delhi: India’s partnership with the European Free Trade Association presents an opportunity whose significance extends beyond its US$100 billion investment objective. For Advocate Jatin Sharma, its wider promise lies in the enterprises it can strengthen, the capabilities it can develop and the international relationships it can help sustain.
“Investment brings capital into a country. Its lasting contribution begins when that capital creates opportunities for the country’s own enterprises,” he says.
Sharma, an international trade lawyer, author, Founder and Managing Counsel of Jurist & Jurist International, and National Chairman – Legal Services Committee, Asian African Chamber of Commerce & Industry (AACCI), approaches the development through its commercial potential and the legal arrangements supporting it.
Understanding the agreement behind the headline
Referring to the India–EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement, signed on 10 March 2024, Mr. Sharma highlighted that the partnership brings India together with Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein within a framework covering trade, services, investment promotion and related cooperation. The authentic text is published by EFTA in its official India–EFTA TEPA agreement.
He further referred to EFTA’s official India trade-relations record, which confirms that the agreement entered into force on 1 October 2025.
Examining Article 7.1, Mr. Sharma explained that the EFTA States aim to increase investment from their investors into India by US$50 billion within ten years, followed by another US$50 billion during the succeeding five years. The provision also sets an objective of facilitating one million direct jobs attributable to those investment inflows over fifteen years.
“The investment figure needs to be understood within the agreement’s actual wording and timeline. It describes a long-term objective supported by investment promotion, cooperation and review arrangements,” he explains.
The distinction matters: investment into enterprises, business turnover, export earnings and government revenue are separate measures. The US$100 billion objective should therefore not be presented as an immediate payment to India or an assured addition to annual revenue.
How investment could generate wider business
Referring to the Government of India’s PIB backgrounder dated 11 October 2025, titled “India–EFTA Trade Pact: Boosting $100 Billion Investment and 1 Million Jobs”, Mr. Sharma highlighted the opportunities identified in renewable energy, life sciences, engineering and digital transformation.
He also drew attention to the official EFTA–India joint communiqué on the agreement’s entry into force, which identifies cooperation in precision manufacturing and clean technologies.
In his assessment, the wider business effect would emerge through the relationships surrounding individual projects.
A manufacturing facility may purchase components, packaging, logistics, maintenance and professional services from Indian enterprises. A technology partnership may support specialised training or product development. Additional capacity may serve domestic demand and, where commercially viable, overseas customers.
These are potential channels for additional business income. Their scale would depend on the investments established, local sourcing, productivity, demand and commercial performance.
“The investment figure describes the ambition. The broader business opportunity lies in production, supplier relationships, technology partnerships and skilled employment,” Mr. Sharma observes.
For MSMEs, he sees a practical opportunity to participate as suppliers and service providers. Developing dependable quality, documentation and delivery capabilities through one engagement could help an enterprise prepare for further international business.
India and Vietnam represent distinct opportunities
Addressing the discussion surrounding Vietnam’s engagement with EFTA, Mr. Sharma referred to EFTA’s official Vietnam trade-relations page, which records the signing of that agreement on 18 October 2026, with entry into force pending.
He highlighted that India’s operational agreement and Vietnam’s newly signed agreement should be assessed according to their respective terms and implementation stages.
In his view, regional developments should also be understood through the requirements of individual businesses. Investors may operate across several countries, drawing on different production capabilities, suppliers and customer markets.
India’s opportunity consequently rests on the value it can offer through domestic enterprise, professional expertise, investment partnerships and participation in international supply networks.
“India’s influence can grow through the value it helps create—for investors, for Indian businesses and for the wider networks in which both participate.”
Mr. Sharma also emphasised that EFTA and the European Union are separate groupings. An EFTA relationship does not, by itself, provide an Indian product preferential access throughout the EU. Businesses must examine the relevant agreement and applicable requirements for their intended market.
The connection with his Justice Corridor vision
For Mr. Sharma, the partnership’s commercial potential connects with a broader professional objective: making appropriate legal support more accessible across jurisdictions.
His Justice Corridor vision envisages greater coordination between business organisations and suitable legal professionals, helping enterprises obtain relevant assistance as commercial relationships develop.
“Trade corridors connect markets. Justice corridors build the confidence to do business between them.”
An Indian exporter may need assistance assessing a counterparty, negotiating payment arrangements or understanding overseas obligations. An international investor considering India may require advice on commercial structures, regulatory requirements and contractual responsibilities.
If difficulties arise, either party may need suitable representation, an assessment of recovery options or assistance with an agreed dispute-resolution process.
The Justice Corridor concept seeks to make access to such assistance more coordinated and understandable. It would depend on appropriately scoped professional engagements reflecting the relevant jurisdiction and circumstances.
Mr. Sharma presents this as his own complementary vision for professional cooperation, distinct from the institutional mechanisms established under TEPA.
Supporting India’s international trade ambitions
Drawing a connection between the agreement and business preparedness, Mr. Sharma noted that Article 7.3 of the TEPA expressly contemplates cooperation involving investment information, technology collaboration and joint ventures, including those involving MSMEs.
His assessment is that chambers, industry participants and professional advisers can contribute by helping enterprises understand opportunities and prepare workable commercial relationships.
Clear responsibilities can reduce ambiguity. Early advice can help businesses identify significant issues before committing resources. Timely assistance can support constructive responses when disagreements develop.
These are practical contributions to business continuity and trust, rather than guarantees of a predetermined increase in exports.
“My vision is for an Indian enterprise to approach an overseas opportunity with confidence in both its commercial potential and the support available to protect its legitimate interests.”
Turning a partnership into enduring capability
Since establishing Jurist & Jurist International in 2012, Mr. Sharma’s work has encompassed corporate and commercial matters, arbitration, insolvency, intellectual property, cybersecurity and data protection. His grounding across commerce, corporate law, business and finance informs his attention to the commercial consequences of legal decisions.
Through that perspective, the EFTA partnership becomes a discussion about what investment can enable: capable suppliers, productive enterprises, stronger professional relationships and sustained participation in international commerce.
The Justice Corridor vision adds a complementary objective—helping those relationships develop with clearer obligations and access to appropriate assistance.
“The lasting achievement will be investment that builds Indian capability—and Indian capability that creates business across borders.”
For Mr. Sharma, this is where India’s EFTA opportunity extends beyond the headline figure. Capital can establish a project; the capabilities and confidence developed around it can support a much longer commercial journey.
Building Business Confidence Across Borders.
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