Cross-Border M&A & India Access: Switzerland ↔ India
For Swiss companies entering or acquiring in India, and for Swiss private banks and family offices seeking regulated India exposure — served from our home market, with SEBI-regulated Indian execution via Equirus Capital.
Why this corridor, now
Switzerland is IndoWest's home market: the India tracker certificate we sponsor is Swiss-issued through Banca Credinvest in Lugano, and B.U.Y. Invest GmbH is based near Zurich. That gives Swiss companies, private banks and family offices a domestically anchored, FinSA-aware route into India.
The trade backdrop is unusually strong. The EFTA–India Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA), signed in March 2024 by Switzerland and its EFTA partners, pairs tariff liberalisation with a landmark commitment to promote USD 100 billion of investment into India over fifteen years — a direct, Switzerland-specific tailwind that the broader India–EU agreement does not replicate for non-EU Switzerland.
The Switzerland–India corridor is most active in pharmaceuticals and life sciences, precision instruments and machinery, specialty chemicals, and financial services and wealth management.
Who we work with
- Swiss private banks and family offices — regulated, professional-investor access to Indian small- and mid-cap equity strategies.
- Swiss mid-caps and family businesses — market entry, joint ventures and acquisitions in India.
- Indian acquirers of Swiss targets in precision, pharma and industrial technology.
- Sponsors seeking structured, transparent India exposure under Swiss and EFTA frameworks.
What we do
IndoWest provides European-side origination, structuring and process management. Equirus Capital — a SEBI-registered Category I Merchant Banker that has advised on 315+ transactions worth over USD 14.9 billion — provides Indian execution, including the valuation a cross-border share swap legally requires. The combined structure delivers origination and Indian regulatory depth in a single coordinated mandate. See the full scope on our cross-border M&A advisory page, or the wider context in our guide to Europe–India M&A.
The regulatory map, in brief
On the Swiss side: FINMA frameworks where relevant, and FinSA/FinSO for investor-facing activity (our India products are directed at professional and institutional clients). On the Indian side: FEMA / NDI Rules, the Overseas Investment Rules 2022, and SEBI/CCI where applicable. The India–Switzerland double-tax treaty may provide relief.
Frequently asked questions
How can a Swiss investor gain regulated exposure to India?
Professional and institutional Swiss investors can access an Indian small- and mid-cap strategy through a tracker certificate issued via Banca Credinvest (Lugano), the paying and calculation agent. It is directed at professional/institutional clients under FinSA and is not available to retail investors.
What is the EFTA–India TEPA and why does it matter for Switzerland?
The EFTA–India Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (signed March 2024) links tariff liberalisation to a commitment to promote USD 100 billion of investment into India over fifteen years. It is a Switzerland-relevant framework distinct from the India–EU FTA and supports Swiss capital and corporate flows into India.
Can a Swiss company acquire or set up operations in India?
Yes — via the FDI route under India's FEMA / NDI Rules, through acquisition, joint venture or greenfield entry. IndoWest provides origination and structuring; Equirus Capital, a SEBI Category I Merchant Banker, provides Indian execution including any required valuation.
Who provides the Indian-side execution?
Equirus Capital, a SEBI-registered Category I Merchant Banker. IndoWest Capital provides European-side origination, structuring and process management and does not perform activities reserved to SEBI-registered intermediaries.
Exploring a transaction or market entry along the Switzerland–India corridor?
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