Diplomatist Magazine Diplomatist January 2019 | Page 45

INSIDE EUROPE
Way Forward
In developmental studies at the household level, it has
been found that households adopt a varied set of strategies
for their economic growth. These livelihood strategies include
(a) Intensifi cation (innovating and intensifying eff ort in a
household’s existing line of occupation); (b) Diversifi cation
into newer occupations; and (c) Migration (to a place with
higher economic opportunities). A nation’s economic growth
strategy or rather its collective population’s economic growth
strategies are hardly any diff erent. Indians are adopting all
these three strategies at diff erent levels. India is diversifying
from agriculture to the service and manufacturing sector. In
some cases, the intensifi cation strategy is also being applied
as there is a renewed focus on making agricultural processes
in India more effi cient and sustainable. And then there are
those who choose to migrate out of the country. All these
three strategies contribute to the nation’s GDP. Intensifi cation
improves existing capabilities, diversifi cation develops new
ones and migration brings remittances and new knowledge.
On Switzerland’s part, opening their job markets for Indians
is an ask that the Government of India has put forward and
much progress on this from the Swiss side is needed.
It is evident, however, that Switzerland has emerged
as a willing partner to aid India’s diversifi cation strategy
and intensifi cation strategies. Whether it is skills or energy,
Switzerland has supported the Indian diversifi cation eff orts
through increased foreign direct investment (FDI) as well as
technology transfer. Swiss FDI in India has nearly quadrupled
in the past eight years (from 2010). The joint initiative with
Skillsonics and the Government of India for vocational
training is a case in point. The expansion of the Skillsonics
model, which has already trained approximately 5000 Indians
in vocational skills (and placed almost all trainees) can bring
much resilience and mobility to the Indian workforce to cope
with the demands of a changing global marketplace. Similarly,
the eff ort to diversify India’s energy sources through nuclear
energy and Switzerland’s support for India in its bid to
join the Nuclear Supplies Group (NSG) are valuable and
concrete eff orts towards infrastructural development aimed
at supporting India’s diversifi cation strategy.
On the intensifi cation strategy front, the Memorandum
of Association between Konkan Railways and ETH Zurich,
in addition to the general Memorandum of Association on
technical cooperation between the Swiss government and
the Indian Railways are momentous steps to
strengthen Indian infrastructure. Similarly,
the Marine Products Export Development
Authority (MPEDA) tie-up with Swiss
fi rms to develop organic aqua farming are
innovative steps in strengthening India’s
food industry. On India’s part, creating more
robust intellectual property rights, and more
importantly, enforcement frameworks is a
way forward to facilitate greater technology
transfer from Switzerland.
It would not be an exaggeration to
observe that after seventy years of positive
relationships, the Indo-Swiss alliance is now
on the fi rm ground and the benefi ts from it
are only at the take-off stage with much more
to hope for in the future. Finally, it can be
said that this alliance has immense positive outcomes in
store not only for the two nations but for the world at large.
As realists such as Joanne Gowa and Robert Gilpin have
observed, cooperation and trade between nations enhance
their circle of infl uence in the international order. Indeed,
the increasing circle of infl uence of two nations committed
to peace, prosperity, and neutrality is bound to bring greater
stability in the international system.
Swiss FDI in India has
nearly quadrupled in
the past eight years
(from 2010). The
joint initiative with
Skillsonics and the
Government of India
for vocational training
is a case in point.
* The author is the CEO of Global Policy Insights – a
Thinktank based in UK, USA, and India.
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist • Vol 7 • Issue 1 • January 2019, Noida • 45