New Delhi, June 9: Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal commenced his official visit to Switzerland on June 9, 2025, as part of a broader tour of Switzerland and Sweden from June 9–13. The visit reflects India’s sustained commitment to deepening strategic and economic partnerships with key European nations and advancing trade, investment, and innovation-driven growth.

According to a press release from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the visit marks a significant milestone in enhancing India’s engagement with two of Europe’s most technologically advanced and innovation-led economies. The Minister’s engagements are focused on high-level dialogues with government officials, CEOs, business associations, and the Indian diaspora.

The Switzerland leg of the visit includes sector-specific meetings with major Swiss industry leaders in areas such as pharmaceuticals, life sciences, precision engineering, machine tools, and high-tech manufacturing. Shri Goyal will also participate in a Business Round Table with the Swiss Mechanical and Electrical (MEM) Industry, hosted during the Swissmem Industry Day, to explore the opportunities emerging from the India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA). A major highlight of the day’s programme will be the Minister’s meeting with Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin, aimed at strengthening bilateral trade and diplomatic ties. The Minister will also hold one-on-one meetings with leading Swiss companies, with participation from Indian industry representatives, to foster direct dialogue and explore avenues for collaboration.

In addition, Goyal is scheduled to meet members of the ICAI Zurich Chapter and interact with Indian media, further strengthening people-to-people and institutional connections. Following his engagements in Switzerland, the Minister will travel to Sweden, where he will co-chair the 21st Session of the Indo-Swedish Joint Commission for Economic, Industrial and Scientific Cooperation (JCEISC) with H.E. Benjamin Dousa, Sweden’s Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade.

Bilateral meetings with Mr. Dousa and Mr. Håkan Jevrell, State Secretary to the Minister of Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, are also on the agenda. These talks aim to reinforce the already strong economic partnership between India and Sweden and explore new avenues aligned with India’s long-term growth objectives. Key Swedish engagements will include the India-Sweden Business Leaders’ Round Table and individual meetings with prominent Swedish companies such as Ericsson, Volvo Group, IKEA, Sandvik, Alfa Laval, and SAAB. Discussions will focus on sectors including advanced manufacturing, green technologies, sustainable solutions, and innovation-led development.

New Delhi, June 09: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said the 11 years of Modi government was a “golden period” of resolve, endeavour and dedication towards public service.

In Narendra Modi’s third term as prime minister, Shah said this new India is rapidly progressing towards development and self-reliance with the power of reform, perform and transform.

He said this journey of making India “number 1” in every field by bringing positive changes in the lives of the countrymen will continue.

“The historic 11 years of the Modi Government have been a golden period of resolve, endeavour and dedication towards public service,” he wrote on ‘X’ in Hindi and called it 11 years of “seva” (service).

The Modi government completes the first year of its third term on Monday.

The home minister said the country has seen a new era of economic revival, social justice, cultural pride and national security.

“The Modi government has proved that when the leadership is clear, the resolve is firm and the intention is of public service, then new records of service, security and good governance are created,” he said.

Shah said when PM Modi took over the reins of the country in 2014, there was policy paralysis in the country.

He said there were no policies, no leadership and scams were at their peak in the government the economy was in shambles and the governance system was directionless.

The home minister said during the “11 years of seva”, the speed and scale of the country’s development have been changed by ‘Minimum Government, Maximum Governance’.

“PM Shri @narendramodi ji brought farmers, women, backwards, Dalits and marginalised to the centre of governance and created a work culture of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas instead of appeasement,” he said.

Shah said the 11 years of the Modi government have also proved to be a milestone in the direction of national security.

“Naxalism is on its last legs, peace has been established in Jammu-Kashmir and the Northeast, India now responds to terrorist attacks by entering the homes of terrorists. This shows the changing picture of India under the Modi government,” he said.

New Delhi, June 09: About 163 cases of the newly emerging COVID-19 variant XFG have been detected in India so far, according to INSACOG data.

The recombinant XFG variant harbours four key spike mutations and has achieved rapid global spread following its initial detection in Canada, according to an article in The Lancet journal.

According to data from the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG), the XFG variant of the COVID-19-causing virus has been found in a total of 163 samples — highest (89) in Maharashtra, followed by Tamil Nadu (16), Kerala (15), Gujarat (11), and Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal (six each).

In May, as many as 159 samples were detected with XFG variant while two samples tested for this variant in April and two in June yet, data shows.

India’s active Covid case tally crossed the 6,000 mark, with 769 added in the last 48 hours, according to the Union health ministry data released on Sunday.