With trade, investment and economic cooperation high on the agenda during the royal leader’s second state visit to India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held delegation-level talks with Hereditary Prince Alois of Liechtenstein at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Tuesday (October 27).
The meeting followed a ceremonial reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan, where President Droupadi Murmu and PM Modi welcomed the prince and his wife, Hereditary Princess Sophie.
India and Liechtenstein are looking to build on the India-European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA), which came into force in 2025, during the visit.
Prince Alois said that Liechtenstein valued its partnership with India and sought greater collaboration in several sectors.
“I am very honoured to be in India on the occasion of Liechtenstein’s first state visit to this remarkable country,” he said at the reception.
“This historic visit bears testimony to the importance that Liechtenstein attaches to the relationship with India. The conclusion of the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement, TEPA, with India, which entered into force a year ago, marked a significant milestone in this regard,” he added.
The hereditary prince said that both countries were keen to build on the agreement and strengthen economic ties.
“We are determined to build on this momentum and strengthen our ties with India even further. In particular, we see tremendous potential in expanding our economic cooperation in areas such as innovation, advanced manufacturing, financial services, education and technology,” he said.
“Across these and many other areas, our two countries possess complementary strengths that we can bring together for the lasting benefit of both our countries,” he added.
India-EFTA agreement
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also called on Prince Alois during the visit. In a post on X, he said the bilateral partnership was gaining momentum across several areas, supported by the opportunities created by the India-EFTA TEPA.
“A pleasure to call on H.S.H. Hereditary Prince Alois of Liechtenstein, on a State Visit to India,” he wrote and said, “Our bilateral partnership is witnessing strong momentum across a wide range of domains, driven by the opportunities enabled by India – EFTA TEPA.”
The minister also said that he looked forward to the prince’s meeting with PM Modi to advance cooperation between the two countries.
Earlier on Tuesday, Prince Alois and Princess Sophie paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. The royal couple laid a wreath and signed the visitors’ book. Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Jayant Chaudhary was present at the memorial.
Accompanied by a high-level official and business delegations, the prince and the princess landed in Mumbai on Monday (October 26) before travelling to Vadodara in Gujarat and then New Delhi.
The Ministry of External Affairs said that the visit would provide new momentum to bilateral relations. The prince was received at the airport by Chaudhary.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Chaudhary are also scheduled to call on the prince during the visit. The delegation is scheduled to leave India on Wednesday (October 28), according to the MEA.
India and Liechtenstein established diplomatic relations in 1993 and celebrated 30 years of bilateral ties in 2023. Prince Alois previously visited New Delhi in February 2026 to attend the AI Impact Summit. He also visited the country in 2010 and 2018.
The ongoing visit follows the operationalisation of the India-EFTA TEPA in 2025, which provides a basis for trade and economic cooperation between India and the four EFTA countries – Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
