Last Updated: October 1, 2026
Last Updated: October 1, 2026
New Delhi: Swiss President Guy Parmelin will pay a state visit to India from October 5 to 7, 2026, at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday.
Parmelin will be accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising senior officials and business leaders. This will be his first state visit to India and his second visit to the country this year. He had earlier visited New Delhi in February 2026 to participate in the AI Impact Summit.
Modi, Parmelin to Hold Bilateral Talks on October 5
During his visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Guy Parmelin will hold bilateral discussions on October 5 to review progress in India-Switzerland cooperation across several areas.
The discussions will cover trade and investment, science, technology and innovation, mobility, culture and people-to-people contact. The two leaders will also exchange views on regional and global developments, including cooperation in multilateral forums.
Parmelin is also scheduled to 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.
India-Switzerland Trade and Economic Partnership
The visit assumes added significance as Parmelin is scheduled to participate in the 2nd India-EFTA Prosperity Summit on October 7, 2026. The summit will mark the first anniversary of the India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) coming into force.
Switzerland is the largest trade and investment partner of India among the four EFTA countries — Switzerland, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein. The India-EFTA TEPA was signed in 2024 and forms an important part of the economic relationship between India and the European Free Trade Association.
India and Switzerland have maintained longstanding friendly relations based on shared democratic values and respect for the rule of law. The two countries formally established diplomatic relations on August 14, 1948, with the signing of the Treaty of Friendship in New Delhi, one of the first such treaties entered into by independent India.
Modi Met Parmelin in Geneva in June
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also met President Parmelin in Geneva on June 16, 2026, while travelling to Evian, France, to participate in the G7 Summit.
The upcoming state visit is expected to build on regular high-level exchanges between India and Switzerland and further strengthen cooperation in trade, investment, technology, innovation, mobility and other areas of mutual interest.
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