External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was briefed on the state of India-Switzerland bilateral relations by India's Ambassador to Switzerland, Mridul Kumar, during a transit stop at Zurich Airport on Thursday, 17 July 2025. The meeting took place as Jaishankar returned to New Delhi from a six-nation tour spanning Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, the United States, and Belgium.

Transit Briefing in Zurich

Ambassador Kumar used the transit opportunity to update the EAM on the latest developments in India-Switzerland ties, including what the Embassy of India in Switzerland described as 'growing high-level exchanges,' according to a post shared on X by the embassy. The brief stopover underscored the diplomatic momentum India has been building across multiple geographies in a single tour.

India-Belgium Strategic Dialogue

The final leg of the tour — Brussels — was arguably its most substantive. On Wednesday, Jaishankar co-chaired the inaugural India-Belgium Strategic Dialogue alongside Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot. The two sides reviewed cooperation across political, economic, investment, clean energy, defence, mobility, and pharmaceutical domains.

Notably, the discussions zeroed in on emerging strategic sectors: ports, maritime infrastructure, semiconductors, and broader supply chain de-risking — areas that reflect India's push to diversify global partnerships beyond traditional allies. Both ministers also exchanged views on global developments, including in West Asia.

'Our partnership has witnessed significant deepening in recent years. Today's discussions reflected the ambition of India's ties with Belgium and the European Union,' Jaishankar posted on X following the dialogue.

EU Innovation Cooperation

Also in Brussels on Wednesday, Jaishankar met Ekaterina Zaharieva, the European Union Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation. Their discussions covered opportunities in clean and green energy technologies, innovation hubs, startups, and India's potential association with Horizon Europe — the EU's flagship research and innovation funding programme. India's Ambassador to Belgium and the EU, Pranay Verma, was also present.

Significance of the Six-Nation Tour

The tour, covering the Gulf, North America, and Europe in a single sweep, reflects the breadth of India's current diplomatic outreach. The Gulf stops — Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman — carry weight given the large Indian diaspora and energy trade ties, while the US and Belgium legs signal India's engagement with Western partners on technology, defence, and multilateral frameworks. The Zurich transit briefing, though brief, signals that India-Switzerland ties — particularly in finance and pharmaceuticals — remain on the diplomatic radar.

With the inaugural India-Belgium Strategic Dialogue now on record, both sides are expected to follow up with working-level meetings on the sectors identified, including semiconductors and supply chain cooperation.