Swiss President to visit India as FTA with EFTA marks first anniversa

New Delhi: Swiss President Guy Parmelin will undertake a state visit to New Delhi early next week to mark one year of a free trade agreement between India and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries.

This will be Parmelin's second visit to New Delhi this year as Switzerland looks to accelerate investments in India and also prepares to host the AI Summit in Geneva in 2027, taking forward the agenda of the Indian edition of the AI Summit held in February.

AI has emerged as the new area of cooperation between India and Switzerland. The Swiss government has said it wants the 2027 summit to address the international governance of AI and the role of international law and fundamental rights in the development and use of the technology.


Parmelin will hold a summit meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The visit is also expected to provide an opportunity to further strengthen bilateral cooperation, particularly in trade, investment, technology, innovation and emerging areas of strategic partnership. Modi had met Parmelin in Geneva on June 16.