Mr President,
Representatives of the authorities,
Your Excellency,
Professors and lecturers,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great honour for me to be here talking to you today and I am extremely grateful for your invitation. Is there anything nicer than visiting a friend when you have something to celebrate together. I should like to take this opportunity to pass on their best wishes from the Swiss parliament and the Swiss government.

Sixty years ago India and Switzerland decided to seal their amicable and peaceful relations through a pact. That was and still is, in fact, not necessarily self-evident, since the contrasts between our two countries could not be greater.

But there are also parallels between India and Switzerland: both are democracies based on a federal structure; one is among the oldest while the other is the largest. And both have managed to strike a balance between diversity and unity, as the then President of Switzerland, Ernst Nobs, observed in 1949 when he visited Prime Minister Pandit Nehru. In other words, despite enormous differences, both our countries have shown how dynamic a political system can be whose unity is based on respect for diversity.

One thing that is greatly appreciated in Switzerland is the fact that India has, in many respects, achieved a remarkable development and great success. As an economic power, India is today an equal partner which is gaining more and more influence among the international community, and even setting up development projects for other countries. This has created a new situation – which affects cooperation between our two countries too.

Ladies and gentlemen, over the years, the links between India and Switzerland have become closer and more varied, as was no doubt the aim of the Friendship Pact signed in 1948. The pact has a far-seeing component, in that it left a good deal of room for both countries to develop bilateral relations. As you probably know, Switzerland is laying down a new basis for its cooperation with India, which has existed since 1961. The classical type of cooperation will become less important, and in the future the focus will be on partnership projects, based on mutual action and funding. The prime aim remains, however, the fight against poverty.

I think that it makes sense to expand these partnerships. India and Switzerland are already both benefiting, thanks to the fact that cooperation projects have been set up in many different fields.

One thing we both have in common is that, for many years now, educating young people has been given priority, which is why we have created training possibilities together over the past few years. Naturally, I am very pleased that Swiss firms, too, have taken the initiative to set up new training facilities, with the support of the Indian and Swiss governments.

In my opinion, however, the key aspect of the new cooperation between our two countries is the exchange of know-how and the transfer of technology. Economic foreign policy has become an important part of Swiss foreign policy. It is in Switzerland’s interest to make people aware of her suitability as an internationally competitive centre for scientific research and technological development, and to promote worldwide cooperation in the field of research and development, at an individual as well as an institutional level.

In view of this, the balance of the Indian project headed by the Lausanne Federal Institute of Technology is extremely positive. The interest shown in cooperation with Swiss scientists – and vice versa – is very encouraging. To be able to promote this successful cooperation project, and start new initiatives, the Swiss parliament approved a considerable sum for bilateral research projects at the end of 2007, with four principal countries, including of course India.

Both our countries are technology hubs, whose know-how and experience can be passed on to other countries in the southern hemisphere. I am convinced that Indo-Swiss partnerships can together mobilise and exploit a mass of potential to find innovative solutions in a number of fields.

On this basis, it is very satisfying that Switzerland will soon be opening its fifth scientific consulate in Bangalore. The network known as the Swissnex was set up because foreign scientific policy is becoming increasingly important. The purpose of these Swiss centres – which incidentally are the only ones of their kind in the world – is to maintain contact, exchange know-how and organise events, as well as providing back-up for cooperation projects in the target countries. Funding is provided from public coffers as well as by private sponsors.

Ladies and gentlemen, I should now like to turn to turn to a subject which was already the concern of the people who signed the Friendship Pact in 1948, namely economic relations. According to Article 7 of the Pact: “The contracting parties will, as soon as possible, enter into negotiations for the conclusion of a more comprehensive Treaty or Treaties of Establishment and Commerce”. The phrase “as soon as possible” is naturally quite flexible. Not counting smaller economic agreements, it has in fact taken 60 years for the two contracting parties to start negotiations concerning a free-trade treaty. Better late than never, one might say! A trade agreement with one of the ten largest economies in the world would be very welcome from the Swiss point of view. In 2007 Swiss exports to India rose by 22.3 % to reach a value of 2.3 billion francs. Meanwhile, we imported Indian goods worth just around 1 billion francs last year, an increase of 29 %. By international standards, Switzerland is one of the most important investors in India. Swiss investments in India are currently in excess of 2 billion francs and some 150 Swiss firms employ approximately 41,000 people throughout India.

As these figures clearly show, India is today an important partner for Swiss business – and this attraction is likely to grow in the future, according to the excellent economic forecasts. The Indian government has also done a lot to create favourable conditions: access for foreign trading partners and investors has been made easier, the necessary infrastructure is in place, and the education system has been vastly improved.

A trade agreement would not be a good one if it benefited only one side. That is why I am convinced that it is possible for Indian firms to increase their exports to Switzerland, be it in the software and IT branch, biotechnology or India’s major export sector, textiles.

Ladies and gentlemen, since 1948 India and Switzerland have achieved a lot together. This is a good basis for developing and consolidating relations between our two countries. I am sure that, over the next 60 years, we shall set up new and equally innovative cooperation projects. The potential is there, and the will too. “India and Switzerland should be friends” said Prime Minister Nehru some 60 years ago. And I would like to add “... for a long time to come”.

Thank you.