Liechtenstein's Hereditary Prince Alois on Tuesday, 27 October 2026, called it an honour to be in India on the occasion of Liechtenstein's first-ever state visit to the country, declaring his nation's determination to deepen bilateral engagement with New Delhi. The visit marks a significant diplomatic milestone, coming over a year after the India–EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) entered into force.

Ceremonial Welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan

Prince Alois was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan, where President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi warmly received him. Speaking to reporters, Prince Alois expressed gratitude to both leaders for the invitation and the warm reception.

'I am very honoured to be in India on the occasion of Liechtenstein's first state visit to this remarkable country,' Prince Alois said. 'This historic visit bears testimony to the importance that Liechtenstein attaches to the relationship with India.'

TEPA as a Springboard for Cooperation

Prince Alois described the conclusion of the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) with India — which entered into force approximately one year ago — as a 'significant milestone' in cementing bilateral ties. 'We are determined to build on this momentum and strengthen our ties with India even further,' he said.

The Prince identified areas of particular opportunity: 'We see tremendous potential in expanding our economic cooperation in areas such as innovation, advanced manufacturing, financial services, education and technology. Across these and many other areas, our two countries possess complementary strengths that we can bring together for the lasting benefit of both our countries.'

High-Level Meetings on the Agenda

Prince Alois is scheduled to hold formal talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House on Tuesday, where discussions will cover cooperation in trade and investment, science and technology, innovation, and people-to-people exchanges, as well as regional and global developments. He is also set to meet External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and Union Minister of State for Skills Development and Entrepreneurship Jayant Chaudhary.

Later in the day, President Murmu will host an official banquet in Prince Alois's honour. He is also scheduled to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. The Prince is accompanied by his wife, Princess Sofia, along with a high-level official and business delegation comprising top industry leaders.

Journey to New Delhi and Background

Prince Alois arrived in the national capital from Vadodara, Gujarat on Monday, having begun his state visit in Mumbai at the invitation of Prime Minister Modi. He was received at the airport by Union Minister of State Jayant Singh. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) described his arrival in New Delhi as 'a new chapter in India–Liechtenstein engagement.'

This is the second visit of Prince Alois to India in 2026; he had earlier visited New Delhi in February to attend the AI Impact Summit. He had previously visited India in 2010 and 2018. Notably, Liechtenstein is a founding member of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), making the TEPA — signed between India and the four EFTA nations — a particularly significant economic bridge.

What This Means for India–Liechtenstein Relations

The MEA noted that the visit is expected to provide 'further impetus to the growing engagement between India and Liechtenstein, particularly since the operationalisation of the India–EFTA TEPA in 2025.' The visit is seen as an opportunity to deepen friendly ties and build partnerships in new areas of mutual interest — from financial services, where Liechtenstein has global standing as a private banking hub, to advanced manufacturing and education.

With the TEPA framework now operational and a high-level business delegation in tow, all eyes will be on what concrete sectoral agreements or partnership announcements emerge from Tuesday's talks at Hyderabad House.