Meeting of minds with Switzerland on black money, tax evasion

There has been a meeting of mind between India and Switzerland on the issue of black money and tax evasion, a top Indian official said on Tuesday, a day after it assured India of stepped up cooperation over the issue.

"Clearly there was a meeting of mind on the issue of black money and tax evasion," External Affairs Ministry Spokesman Vikas Swarup told reporters here, a day after the Prime Minister's visit to Switzerland.

"As (Swiss) President (Johann) Schneider-Ammann said Switzerland is not a country that supports these practices. Switzerland is a country which wants to be part of the international mainstream on these matters. And of course there would be further co-operation between India and Switzerland," Swarup said.

On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his talks with Swiss President Schneider-Amman, raised the issue of black money and tax evasion by Indians to which the latter offered to extend the level of cooperation.

Schneider-Amman said his government will send a state secretary for international financial matters to India on June 14 to explore enhancing cooperation on the issue.

India's membership to Nuclear Suppliers Group was the another major issue discussed in Switzerland, Swarup said, adding that New Delhi has received categorical assurance from the Swiss President himself saying that he would support India’s membership to NSG.