India and Switzerland signed five agreements at a summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Swiss President Guy Parmelin on October 5.

The pacts include a Migration and Mobility agreement and a Young Professionals agreement, aimed at easing the movement of workers and students between the two countries.

The leaders also agreed to deepen cooperation in defence and nuclear energy. Trade officials marked the first anniversary of the India-EFTA trade agreement, known as TEPA.

Switzerland is one of India's most important economic partners in Europe. Swiss investment in India has grown steadily, and officials want to build on the momentum.

Parmelin said the agreements reflected the maturity of the bilateral relationship. Modi described Switzerland as a trusted partner in technology and innovation.

Officials from both sides said working groups would meet in the coming months to turn the agreements into concrete programmes.

Two-way trade between India and Switzerland runs into several billion dollars a year. Swiss companies employ tens of thousands of people across India, particularly in pharmaceuticals and engineering.

Sources: nationpress.com, newseisamay.com, tezzbuzz.com.