Swiss President Guy Parmelin is likely to visit India next week, in what would be his second trip to the country this year as New Delhi and Bern seek to deepen economic and strategic ties. The proposed visit comes amid growing engagement between India and Switzerland following the implementation of the India-European Free Trade Association Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement. Details of Parmelin’s programme and the meetings expected during the visit are likely to be announced formally closer to the date.
Second visit this year
Parmelin, who is serving as President of the Swiss Confederation for 2026 while continuing to head the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research, visited New Delhi in February for the AI Impact Summit.
During that visit, he held bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with trade and economic relations figuring prominently in their discussions. The two sides welcomed the momentum in bilateral commerce following the implementation of the India-EFTA trade agreement. Parmelin also held talks with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal during the February visit, with the two countries looking at ways to translate the trade pact into greater investment and business cooperation.
Trade pact in focus
The India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement has emerged as a central pillar of economic ties between India and Switzerland. EFTA comprises Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. The agreement entered into force in October 2025 after being signed in March 2024. It includes an investment commitment under which EFTA countries aim to facilitate investments of $100 billion in India over 15 years and support the creation of one million direct jobs.
Switzerland, the largest economy in EFTA, is expected to play a significant role in meeting those objectives. Swiss companies already have a substantial presence in India across engineering, pharmaceuticals, financial services, food processing, precision manufacturing and technology.
Economic ties deepen
Parmelin’s expected visit is likely to provide an opportunity for the two sides to review progress under the trade agreement and examine ways of increasing investment flows and cooperation between businesses. India and Switzerland have also been expanding cooperation in innovation, science and technology, education, sustainability and emerging technologies. Switzerland regards India as one of its important economic partners in Asia, while New Delhi has sought greater Swiss investment in advanced manufacturing and technology-intensive sectors.
AI cooperation
Artificial intelligence has also emerged as a new area of engagement. During his February visit, Parmelin announced that Switzerland would host the next high-level AI summit in Geneva in June 2027. The proposed summit is expected to focus on balancing technological innovation with trust, international law and responsible governance. India’s experience in hosting the 2026 AI Impact Summit has provided another platform for cooperation between the two countries ahead of the Geneva meeting.
High-level engagement
The expected visit would continue a series of high-level exchanges between New Delhi and Bern as both countries seek to build on the trade agreement and broaden their bilateral relationship. An official announcement detailing Parmelin’s itinerary and meetings during the visit was awaited.