India-Swiss Relations India and Switzerland Have Had Cordial And

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India-Swiss Relations India and Switzerland Have Had Cordial And India-Swiss Relations India and Switzerland have had cordial and friendly relations since India’s independence. The relationship is based on shared values of democracy, multiculturalism and the rule of law. Independent India’s policy of non-alignment and Switzerland’s traditional policy of neutrality helped to develop a close understanding between the leaders of the two countries. A Treaty of Friendship between India and Switzerland was signed at New Delhi on August 14, 1948, one of the first such treaties to be signed by the independent India. The Treaty provided for the establishment of diplomatic missions between the two countries and missions were opened in Berne and Delhi soon after its conclusion. During the course of 2008, India and Switzerland celebrated the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Friendship Treaty, an important milestone in the annals of Indo- Swiss bilateral relations. In recognition of the growth of multi-faceted bilateral relationship over six decades and to outline the future areas of mutual interest and cooperation, India and Switzerland have decided to elevate the bilateral relationship to a new and higher level by agreeing to establish a Privileged Partnership between them. High level visits 2. Exchange of high level visits in the recent past have provided an impetus to strengthen bilateral cooperation. The visit of the then Swiss President, Mr. Flavio Cotti in 1998 was the first ever visit of a Swiss President to India. Later, President of the Swiss Confederation, Mr. Pascal Couchepin, paid a State Visit to India from 6-12 November, 2003. The last high-level visit to India has been that of the Swiss President, Mrs. Micheline Calmy-Rey from 5-7 November, 2007. 3. After the State Visit of President, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, in May 2005, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil, President of India visited Switzerland from September 30 to October 4, 2011 at the invitation of Swiss Government. She visited European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN), Geneva on October 1 and interacted with the Indian scientists from various Indian institutions engaged in research. On October 2, she paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at his statue in the Ariana Park in Geneva. On October 3, President of India was given a ceremonial welcome and Guard of Honour at the Parliament Square by Swiss President, the members of the Federal Council and other dignitaries. The delegation-level talks were attended by six Ministers(out of 7) of the Swiss Cabinet during which bilateral issues and international issues of mutual interest were discussed. The Memorandum of Understanding on Financial Dialogue was signed during the visit. On October 4, both the Presidents addressed the Indo- Swiss Business Forum participated by CII, FICCI and ASSOCHAM from India and Swiss India Chambers of Commerce and State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) from Swiss side. A 45-member Indian business delegation accompanied President of India during this visit. At the University of Lausanne, an MoU establishing the ‘Rabindranath Tagore Chair’ on Indian Studies was signed in the presence of the Presidents of India and Switzerland and a bronze bust of Tagore was unveiled on the campus commemorating the 150 Birth Anniversary of Tagore. 4. In addition there have been several bilateral ministerial exchanges. From the Swiss side, Federal Councillor for Defence and Vice President, Mr. Samuel Schmid, visited India in November-December 2004, while the Swiss Federal Councillor for Economic Affairs, Mr. Joseph Diess, visited India in January 2006. Swiss Federal Councillor for Economic Affairs, Mrs. Doris Leuthard visited India on 7-9 August, 2007, 29 April – 3 May, 2008 and on 2-3 September, 2009 respectively. Swiss Federal Councillor for Economic Affairs Mr. Johann N. Schneider Ammann visited India from 7-9 April, 2011, along with a high level business delegation. 5. During her official visit in 2007, President Calmy-Rey met President Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil, Vice-President Shri Mohammad Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Shri Manmohan Singh and External Affairs Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee. She also called on the Chairperson of UPA Smt. Sonia Gandhi and Leader of the Opposition, Shri L. K. Advani. During her meeting with PM and EAM, various issues of multilateral and bilateral interest were discussed. Both sides agreed to transform the existing relationship in the direction of a ‘Privileged Partnership’, based on more diversified cooperation. She also participated in the Fourth International Conference on Federalism on 5 November, 2007 in New Delhi. She visited India on 30 August 2010 in her capacity as Foreign Minister and met with the External Affairs Minister Shri S. M. Krishna. She also met with the Finance Minister, Shri Pranab Mukherjee and Environment Minister Shri Jairam Ramesh. The central topics addressed during these meetings related to bilateral issues including cooperation in the areas of finance, technology and environment in addition to regional and international matters. A Protocol to the revised Double Taxation Agreement was also signed between the two countries during this visit which entered into force on 7 th October, 2011. However, it is operational from January 1, 2012 in Switzerland and from April 1, 2012 in India. 6. From Indian side, there have been important ministerial visits - Commerce and Industry Minister, Shri Kamal Nath, in October 2006, March 2007 and August 2009, Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Shri Kapil Sibal, in November 2006, Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs, Shri Vayalar Ravi, in September 2006 and December 2007 and Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri S. Regupaty, in October-November 2006. In connection with the civil nuclear initiative, Shri Shivshankar Menon, Foreign Secretary, visited Switzerland on 9 August 2008. Dr. M.S. Gill, Hon’ble Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports paid an official visit to Switzerland from 8-17 August, 2009. Shri Kamal Nath, Hon’ble Minister for Road Transport & Highways led a 5-member delegation to Switzerland on 11-12 August, 2009. A 4-member delegation led by Hon’ble Minister of Textiles, Mr. Dayanidhi Maran, visited Switzerland from 25-28 October, 2009. An 18-member Indian Parliamentary Goodwill delegation led by Hon’ble Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Water Resources, Shri Pawan Kumar Bansal visited Switzerland from 1-4 April, 2010. The delegation included Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Planning, Shri V. Narayanasamy and 12 Members of Parliament. 7. Smt. Meira Kumar, Speaker, Lok Sabha, led an Indian delegation to Switzerland from 15-21 July, 2010 to attend the IPU Sixth Annual Meeting of Women Speakers of Parliament in Berne on 16-17 July and IPU Conference of Speakers of Parliament in Geneva from 19-21 July, 2010. Later, accompanied by Deputy Chairman Rajya Sabha Shri Rahman Khan, Shri Sardinha, MP, Shri Jose Mani, MP, Shri Uday Singh, MP and Shri Umashankar Singh, MP, Smt. Meira Kumar visited Switzerland to participate in the 125th Inter-Parliamentary Union Meeting held in Berne from 16-19 October, 2011. 8. High-level Indian delegations have participated in the World Economic Forum(WEF) since the early 90s. At WEF 2011, the official Indian delegation comprised of Shri P. Chidambaram, Hon’ble Minister of Home Affairs; Shri Kamal Nath, Hon’ble Minister for Urban Development; Shri Anand Sharma, Hon’ble Minister for Commerce & Industry; Shri Praful Patel, Hon’ble Minister for Heavy Industries; and Dr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Hon’ble Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission. Hon’ble MPs, Shri N.K. Singh and Smt. Shobhana Bhartia, besides a strong representation from the Indian industry and a delegation from Confederation of Indian Industries (CII). At WEF 2012, the official Indian delegation comprised of Shri Anand Sharma, Hon’ble Minister for Commerce & Industry; Dr. Ashwani Kumar, Hon’ble Minister of State for Planning, Science and Earth Sciences, Shri Sachin Pilot, Hon’ble Minister of State for Communications and Technology, Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Hon’ble Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Hon’ble MPs, Shri N.K. Singh and Smt. Shobhana Bhartia, besides a strong representation from the Indian industry and a delegation from Confederation of Indian Industries (CII). 9. On the occasion of India's participation at the BASELWORLD 2011, Shri Anand Sharma, Hon’ble Minister of Commerce & Industry visited Switzerland on 24-25 March, 2011. He also held bilateral discussions with Swiss Federal Councillor for Home Affairs H.E. Mr. Didier Burkhalter with whom he jointly inaugurated 'BASELWORLD 2011' and 'India Palace'. On 25 March, 2011, he visited Berne for a bilateral meeting with Federal Councillor for Economic Affairs Mr. Johann N. Schneider Ammann. Mr. Johann N. Schneider Ammann visited India from 7-9 April, 2011, along with a high level business delegation during which he had bilateral meeting with Hon’ble CIM Shri Anand Sharma. In 2012, over Indian 40 Gems and Jewellery companies participated in the BASELWORLD 2012. In April, 2012, India participated at the MUBA Fair 2012 in Basel as the guest country. Over 50 Indian companies participated by setting up stalls under the coordination of India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO). The Swiss Federal Councillor Ueli Maurer was present at the inauguration of India Pavilion at MUBA 2012. A delegation led by Smt. Manjula Prashar, Secretary, Department of Posts, Government of India, visited Berne from 20-22 February, 2012 to attend sessions at Universal Postal Union (UPU). A delegation from Gujarat held a Road Show on “Vibrant Gujarat 2013” in Zurich and Geneva on June 22, 2012. 10. India was the Guest of Honour country at the prestigious Geneva Festival 2011 where spectacular cultural events, display of Indian art and crafts were held from August 4-14, 2011. Several Ministers of Tourism of various Indian states and Chief Minister of Meghalaya were present during the festival to promote their respective states.
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