NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Swiss Confederation president Guy Parmelin at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Monday as the Swiss leader began a three-day State visit to India aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation.Parmelin’s visit comes as India and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) prepare to mark the first anniversary of the India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA), which entered into force on October 1, 2025.External affairs minister S Jaishankar also met the Swiss president. Sharing details of the meeting on X, Jaishankar said he appreciated Parmelin’s sentiments towards deepening the India-Switzerland partnership and building on the promise of the India-EFTA TEPA.“Confident that his meeting with PM Narendra Modi will further our engagement across a wide range of domains,” Jaishankar said.Parmelin began his official itinerary with a ceremonial reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan, where he was received by President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Modi.Speaking to the media after the welcome ceremony, Parmelin described his visit as an opportunity to underline the importance both countries attach to their relationship.“The visit is an excellent opportunity to emphasise the importance that both Switzerland and India attach to this relationship,” he said.He said India-Switzerland ties were based on “shared democratic values as well as on trust and mutual respect”.“My visit is a stepping stone towards further growth, deepening and strengthening of our close, broad and long-standing partnership,” Parmelin said.He also highlighted the significance of the first anniversary of TEPA’s implementation, saying it was a moment to assess the progress made by the two sides while looking towards future cooperation.“It is the right moment to celebrate how far we have come together, but even more importantly, to shape our joint future,” he said.During his three-day visit, Parmelin is expected to hold discussions with Indian leaders on trade, investment, science and technology, innovation, mobility, cultural exchanges and people-to-people ties. Regional and global issues, as well as multilateral cooperation, are also expected to feature in the talks.The Swiss president is travelling with a delegation of senior officials and business representatives. It is his first State visit to India and his second visit to the country this year after he attended the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi in February.
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Parmelin will also meet President Murmu, who is scheduled to host a ceremonial banquet in his honour.He is scheduled to attend the second India-EFTA Prosperity Summit on October 7, marking the first anniversary of TEPA’s operationalisation.The EFTA comprises Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Among the four EFTA countries, Switzerland is India’s largest trade and investment partner, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.“India and Switzerland share longstanding friendly relations. This visit will further strengthen bilateral relations, building upon the regular high-level exchanges and deepen cooperation in new areas of mutual interest,” the MEA said.With inputs from ANI
