Swiss President Parmelin Begins Three-Day State Visit to India, Bilateral Talks and EFTA Summit on Agenda

Swiss Confederation President Guy Parmelin began a three-day State visit to India on October 5, 2026, at Prime Minister Modi's invitation, and received a Guard of Honour at Rashtrapati Bhavan with President Murmu and Prime Minister Modi present. The MEA said he is travelling with a high-level delegation of senior officials and business leaders; it is his first State visit to India and his second this year.

Parmelin held bilateral talks with Modi at Hyderabad House on October 5, and External Affairs Minister Jaishankar called on him. The MEA's pre-visit agenda covered trade and investment, science, technology and innovation, mobility, and culture and people-to-people ties. President Murmu is to host a banquet in his honour. He will take part in the 2nd India-EFTA Prosperity Summit on October 7, marking one year since the India-EFTA TEPA took effect.

The visit puts TEPA's investment objective in focus. Under the pact, the four EFTA states aim to facilitate $100 billion of investment in India over 15 years, but this is a long-term ambition, not capital already received. The MEA describes Switzerland as India's largest trade and investment partner among EFTA countries. An MEA briefing stressed that TEPA's potential depends on successful implementation. The October 7 summit will show whether the first year's momentum is turning into actual capital and technology flows.

Sources

The Tribune/ANI (MEA statement), October 1, 2026, tribuneindia.com ANI, October 5, 2026, aninews.in The Tribune/ANI, October 5, 2026, tribuneindia.com ANI (MEA briefing), October 5, 2026, aninews.in Open The Magazine, October 5, 2026, openthemagazine.com