Bangalore: Lauding India's achievement in the fields of Information Technology and Bio-Technology as "something extraordinary", Swiss President Pascal Couchepin today (November 7) said it was something which doesn't happen in "one century" in other countries.

"It is something extraordinary which happened in India in the last 10 years. Development of IT and BT, it is something which doesn't happen in one century in other countries," Couchepin told reporters, citing the reason for his India visit focused on science and technology.

Stating that India must compete with other Asian countries to attract foreign investment, he said the investment climate over the past few years had improved in the country.

Switzerland is the 10th largest Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) investor in India, Couchepin said, adding, "We do hope also to increase the flow of FDI".

Earlier addressing scientists from both the countries, he said, Switzerland, like India, has a firm belief towards investing resources in order to create an open system.

"India has developed high quality scientific institutions such as the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore and the seven Indian Institute of Technologies (IITs). You all know the results, scientific excellence that is recognised worldwide. India can be proud of it," Couchepin said.

PTI