Ease of Doing Business Win: Piyush Goyal Resolves Swiss Firm’s Land Dispute in Just 2.5 Hours

Piyush Goyal Resolves Swiss Firm’s Land Issue in 2.5 Hours, Showcases India’s Business Speed.

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal demonstrated India’s commitment to ease of doing business by resolving a complex land allocation issue for Swiss engineering firm Endress Hauser Flowtec AG in just 2 hours and 34 minutes during a live event in Switzerland.

The incident unfolded at the 18th SWISSMEM Industry Day, where Goyal was addressing over 1,000 Swiss industry representatives and a 90-member Indian business delegation to advance the India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA).

During morning discussions, Endress Hauser—a precision engineering company operating in Maharashtra since 2003—highlighted its need for 10 acres of adjacent land, currently marked as a green zone, to expand its manufacturing facility.

At 11:33 a.m., Goyal messaged the Maharashtra Industry Secretary with the company’s request and supporting details. By 2:07 p.m., the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation approved the reallocation of the green zone to another area, clearing the way for the expansion.

“We’re not cancelling the green area—it will simply be shifted to another location so Endress Hauser can get the peace they want. India can, India will deliver,” Goyal told the applauding audience.

The swift action served as a live demonstration to Swiss investors of India’s ability to act quickly and decisively. Goyal used the moment to pitch further investments, even suggesting the creation of a dedicated “Swiss business enclave” in India, complete with restaurants, hotels, schools, and other facilities for Swiss citizens.

The Minister’s visit to Switzerland (June 9–10) included meetings with Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin and State Secretary Helene Budliger Artieda to discuss TEPA’s implementation. The agreement—ratified by all four EFTA members (Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein)—comes into effect on October 1 and promises $100 billion in direct investments over 15 years, potentially generating one million jobs in India.

“TEPA is officially the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement, but I see it as the Trust and Efficiency Partnership Agreement,” Goyal said.