Marking a milestone in New Delhi’s economic and technological outreach toward Central Europe, the Acting Head of State of the Principality of Liechtenstein, H.S.H. Hereditary Prince Alois, concluded a landmark four-day State Visit to India from October 25 to 28, 2026. Accompanied by H.R.H. Hereditary Princess Sophie and a high-level business delegation comprising top European industrial leaders, the historic mission coincided with the first anniversary of the India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA), which entered into force in October 2025.
During wide-ranging delegation-level talks led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prince Alois, both nations committed to translating TEPA’s $100 billion investment target into actionable industrial outcomes. Crucially, the summit advanced bilateral financial frameworks with India acknowledging receipt of a draft Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA), alongside concrete convergence on UN Security Council reforms and a shared condemnation of cross-border terrorism.
1. High-Level Engagements and Ceremonial Honors
Representing his second visit to India in 2026—following his participation in the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi in February—the State Visit featured high-level constitutional engagements across New Delhi:
- Ceremonial Reception & Rajghat Homage: Prince Alois was accorded a ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan and paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat.
- Rashtrapati Bhavan Summit: Hon’ble President Smt. Droupadi Murmu held bilateral discussions with the Hereditary Prince and hosted an official State banquet in his honour.
- Prime Ministerial Talks: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prince Alois conducted comprehensive delegation-level talks reviewing the entire bilateral architecture. Prince Alois extended a formal invitation to Prime Minister Modi to undertake a return bilateral visit to Liechtenstein.
- Diplomatic Consultations: External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar called on Prince Alois to discuss evolving geopolitical balances and multilateral convergence.
2. Economic Vectors: Mobilizing the India-EFTA TEPA Mandate
With Liechtenstein holding a prominent position within the four-nation European Free Trade Association (EFTA), economic deliberations focused on operationalizing TEPA's target of mobilizing $100 billion in foreign direct investment and generating one million direct jobs in India over 15 years:
Precision Engineering & Industry
- Advanced manufacturing & machinery
- Precision tools & surface solutions
- Construction & building technologies
Frontier Tech & Space
- Space-related industries & components
- Clean tech & medical technologies
- Digitization & rule-of-law-based AI
Capital & Capacity Building
- Specialized financial & wealth services
- FDI expansion via regulatory reforms
- Vocational education & skill development
Building on discussions from the New Delhi AI Impact Summit, both sides affirmed that the governance of Artificial Intelligence must remain grounded in international law and human rights frameworks—serving not merely as an engine of technological expansion, but as a mechanism to improve lives and advance sustainable development.
3. Financial Predictability: Advancing Towards a DTAA
A key institutional breakthrough during the State Visit was the formal movement toward establishing a bilateral tax treaty:
The Indian government formally acknowledged receipt of a draft Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement from Liechtenstein. Both nations declared their readiness to examine and negotiate the treaty to achieve greater legal certainty, reduce administrative burdens for cross-border investors, and reinforce regulatory transparency in international tax cooperation.
4. Multilateral Reform, UNSC Candidature, and Counter-Terrorism
The joint statement detailed clear convergence on international governance and zero tolerance toward cross-border subversion:
Both leaders unequivocally condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism. They specifically condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, 2025, expressing solidarity with the victims' families and emphasizing the imperative of bringing the perpetrators and financiers to justice in accordance with UN resolutions.
Underlining support for the UN80 reform initiative to modernize the Security Council, Prime Minister Modi thanked Prince Alois for Liechtenstein's readiness to back India’s candidature for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2028-29 term. Both sides also reaffirmed their adherence to the UN Charter, sovereignty, and the peaceful settlement of disputes.