The visit will be Parmelin’s first State Visit to India and his second visit to the country this year. He had earlier travelled to New Delhi in February to participate in the AI Impact Summit…reports London Daily News Desk
Switzerland President Guy Parmelin will undertake a State Visit to India from October 5 to 7 at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with the two leaders set to review bilateral cooperation and discuss regional and global developments.
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday, Parmelin and Modi will hold discussions on October 5. Their talks will cover a range of areas, including trade and investment, science and technology, innovation, mobility, culture and people-to-people ties.
The two leaders are also expected to exchange views on regional and global developments, including cooperation through multilateral forums.
During his visit, Parmelin will meet President Droupadi Murmu, who will host an official banquet in his honour. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will also call on the Swiss President.
Parmelin will be accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising senior government officials and business leaders.
The visit will be Parmelin’s first State Visit to India and his second visit to the country this year. He had earlier travelled to New Delhi in February to participate in the AI Impact Summit.
The MEA said the upcoming visit assumes particular significance as Parmelin is scheduled to participate in the second India-EFTA Prosperity Summit on October 7. The summit will mark the first anniversary of the India-European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) coming into force.
Switzerland is India’s largest trade and investment partner among the four EFTA countries, which also include Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.
India and EFTA signed TEPA in March 2024, with the agreement entering into force in October 2025. The pact is aimed at strengthening trade and economic cooperation between India and the EFTA member states.
The MEA described India and Switzerland as countries with longstanding friendly relations and said Parmelin’s visit would build on regular high-level exchanges between the two sides.
The ministry said the visit would provide an opportunity to deepen cooperation in new areas of mutual interest while further strengthening bilateral relations.
The two countries have maintained engagement at the leadership level in recent months. In June, Parmelin welcomed Modi at Geneva airport as the Indian Prime Minister travelled to Evian in France to participate in the G7 Summit.
The MEA said the two leaders exchanged warm greetings during the meeting and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening bilateral ties.
Modi and Parmelin had also met in February on the sidelines of the AI Action Summit in New Delhi. Their discussions focused on strengthening economic cooperation, particularly in trade, investment and technology.
The leaders also discussed the implementation of the India-EFTA TEPA, which had come into effect several months earlier.
The agreement and the upcoming prosperity summit are expected to feature prominently during Parmelin’s October visit, alongside wider discussions on bilateral cooperation and international issues.
The Swiss President’s visit comes as India and Switzerland continue to expand engagement across economic, technological and other areas, with both sides maintaining regular high-level contacts.
