New Delhi, October 6: Switzerland has earmarked a further CHF 45 million for its research partnership with India, Swiss President Guy Parmelin told Union Minister Jitendra Singh at a bilateral meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday.
Parmelin said Switzerland expected a corresponding commitment from India to strengthen the joint Indo-Swiss research framework. The meeting focused on moving science and technology cooperation between the two countries into a more structured, long-term phase.
Research framework and new agreements
Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, welcomed progress on the Indo-Swiss Research Framework (ISRF) and the Indo-Swiss Joint Scientific Board.
He also welcomed a Letter of Intent between the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST), and an Implementation Agreement between the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) and DST. He said these would strengthen institutional engagement and research collaboration.
Singh called for a regular working arrangement between the two sides so that areas of mutual interest are followed up.
AI, quantum and deep ocean research
Singh said India was taking an interdisciplinary, mission-mode approach to science and technology, with national programmes drawing on expertise from different disciplines and ministries. Artificial intelligence, he said, was being treated as an enabling tool that can contribute across science rather than as a separate discipline.
He spoke about India’s work in biotechnology, vaccine development, genome sequencing, quantum technology, space and deep ocean research, and about opportunities in the blue economy and bio-economy.
Parmelin said Switzerland sees India as a rapidly emerging research and development power and wants to be a preferred long-term partner in education, research and innovation. He stressed that AI should benefit countries across the Global South and invited India to take part in the forthcoming Geneva AI Summit.
Cooperation since 2003
India and Switzerland signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement on science and technology in 2003. Cooperation has since grown through the Indo-Swiss Joint Research Programme into areas including quantum technology, AI, clean technology, renewable energy, ocean research, advanced materials, pharmaceuticals, biomedical research, pandemic preparedness and space technology.
The Swiss delegation included Martina Hirayama, State Secretary for Education, Research and Innovation; Maya Tissafi, Ambassador of Switzerland to India and Bhutan; SNSF President Torsten Schwede; and ETH Zurich President Joël François Mesot. DST Secretary Umesh V. Waghmare and Department of Biotechnology Secretary Rajesh Sudhir Gokhale were among the officials accompanying Singh.
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