New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted some of India’s finest cheese varieties and a walnut wood wall panel to Swiss President Guy Parmelin who began his first State Visit to India on Monday.
Switzerland is famous around the world for its cheese and PM Modi gifted three special Indian cheese varieties to President Parmelin, offering a glimpse into India’s own rich and growing tradition of cheese-making. It included Gulmarg – French-style Brie, a heart-shaped, soft and creamy Brie made from pasteurised cow’s milk, with a snowy-white rind and earthy, mushroom-like notes. It received a Super Gold award at the 2026 Mundial do Queijo do Brasil; Konark – a French Tomme-style cheese, a rustic, natural-rind cheese with a supple texture, earthy and savoury flavours and a lemony finish. It won Gold at the 2023 World Cheese Awards in Norway and Silver in Switzerland in 2025; and, Yeoor – a mountain-style cheese, an aged cheese inspired by Swiss Gruyere, matured for around eight to nine months to develop nutty, sweet and herbaceous flavours. Its rose-petal and fennel-decorated rind gives it a distinctive Indian-Alpine character.
The Kashmiri wood wall panel showcases Kashmir’s centuries-old woodcarving heritage, crafted from premium Himalayan walnut wood and intricately hand-carved in deep relief. Depicting traditional landscapes, flora, human figures, horses, carriages and village life, it reflects Kashmir’s distinctive artistic traditions shaped by indigenous and Central Asian influences, celebrating the skill and craftsmanship of Kashmiri artisans. PM Modi also gifted a Kutchi Shawl and Sadeli Box to President Parmelin’s wife, showcasing Gujarat’s rich traditions of weaving and decorative craftsmanship.
The Sadeli Box from Gujarat’s Surat features intricate geometric patterns created by precisely assembling and layering contrasting materials, while the Kutchi Shawl is a vibrant handwoven textile from Kutch, distinguished by geometric motifs and supplementary-weft weaving. Together, they celebrate Gujarat’s artistic heritage and the skill and ingenuity of its artisans.
Earlier in the day, President Parmelin arrived in India on a three-day State Visit at the invitation of PM Modi. This is President Parmelin’s first State Visit to India and his second visit to the country this year, as he had earlier visited in February 2026 to participate in the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi.