India - Switzerland

Friendship
In
Diversity

Emergence of Friendship
The friendship betweenIndiaandSwitzerlandformally started with

the Treaty of Friendship and Establishment of 1948 andwas

strengthenedin various fields such as development, economy, and
culture. Past 60 years the exchanges between the two countries
have since then increased.

Friends Indeed !
Mahatma Gandhi came to Switzerland in 1931 after

having attended the Round Table Conference in

London. He spent five days in Switzerland to meet his
friend Romain Rolland.

Development and Cooperation

Swiss

development
cooperation
with
India started 50 years
ago. The first project
of theSwiss Agency
for Development and
Cooperation
(SDC)
was initiatedin 1963
in Kerala with the
purpose to contribute
towards
the
improvement
of
livestock
in
the
State,mainlyfor
dairy production.

ARCHITECTURE
India-Swiss Connection
Switzerland is associated with

high
modernist
design
particularly typography and
architecture. For a visual
artist, it's quite a predictable
association. In architecture,
the India-Swiss connection
through Corbusier's work in
Chandigarh is already well
known.

Le Corbusier

HISTORICAL AND POLITICAL TIES

The strong relationship between Switzerland and India has been

continually strengthened by Indian and Swiss dignitaries who believed

in the potential of sharing ideas and concrete projects together.
Therefore, it is not surprising that the first ever friendship treaty
signed by independent India was with Switzerland, signed by
India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on 14th August 1948.
Ever since, the two countries have maintained a cordial friendship,
kept alive by regular visits,economic and cultural activities.

ECONOMIC RELATIONS
Our two countries have indeed a lot to offer to each other and to

gain in developing cooperation in high-tech and knowledge-based

industries. In fact, both sides are already trying to bring more
vibrancy to the relationship by adopting focused approaches, and
initiatives have already been taken in sectors such as biotechnology,
textile machinery and railways.

CULTURAL CONNECTIONS
Swiss Arts Councils aim is to coordinate Pro Helvetia's activities in

the South Asia region starting with India. It supports artistic and
cultural collaboration between India and Switzerland, and also
promotes Swiss ideas and arts practices among Indian audiences.

Bollywood and Switzerland

Bollywood regularly shoots in
Switzerland, as the country
offers white winters, colourful
springs, sunny summers and
golden autumn. Switzerland
permits to shoot in public
places, there is almost zero
crime, and generous and
helping people all around
which gives apeaceful, hasslefree mindset to work.

DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION
India is a country of contrasts and is

perceived by many as a regional or

even world power.
This has been the background to Swiss

development cooperation in India since

1961, aimed at helping to reduce poverty
and contribute to sustainable, just rural
development. In addition to the SDC, the
State Secretariat for Economic Affairs
(SECO) as well as around 60 Swiss nongovernmental organizations are active in
India.

Ever since, the two countries have

maintained a cordial friendship, kept alive by
regular visits,economic and cultural
activities.

Presented by PRATHAM P.
SAVLA