Committed To Support India's Fight Against Black Money: Swiss President Doris Leuthard

"India is a good friend. In these seven decades, we have listened to each other, given advice, and learned from each other. This is the foundation on which a relationship stands today," Leuthard said.

The Swiss president during her four-day India visit held bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a wide range of issues, including combating black money and cooperation in several sectors. The 70th year celebrations will be held till 2018. As part of the inaugural event, Leuthard, on the last leg of her trip, felicitated several "Friendship Ambassador" from both the countries, including noted economist M S Swaminathan, during the function at the Embassy.

Leuthard also said that trade and investment between the two countries have been growing and high-level bilateral visits have become more frequent. Modi visited Switzerland in June 2016 in what was the first prime ministerial visit from India to that country in several decades. Swiss Presidents have earlier visited India in 1998, 2003, and 2007. "Over 200 Swiss companies are present here in India having created more than 100,000 jobs," Leuthard said. "Switzerland is number seven when it comes to trade and 11th biggest foreign investor in India," she stated.

India and Switzerland signed an agreement for automatic exchange of financial information in November 2016. On Thursday, following delegation-level talks headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Leuthard, both countries agreed to enhance cooperation in the fight against tax fraud while acknowledging the need for a global level playing field for implementation of the international standards on tax transparency. A joint statement issued said that "both leaders emphasised their willingness to further enhance cooperation in the fight against tax fraud and tax evasion".

New Delhi: President of Switzerland Dorsi Leuthard has reaffirmed her country's support for India's fight against black money. "The Swiss government, the federal council, is committed to support India's fight against black money also like automatic exchange of information of fiscal matters," Leuthard said while addressing the launch event of "70 Years of Swiss Indian Friendship" here on Friday night. "And we hope this year to have cleared the approval of that agreement," she said. (All image: Twitter)