The diplomat's point of view

Swiss ambassador to India and Bhutan, based in New Delhi

When I arrived in India three months ago, I was immediately impressed by the extraordinarily diverse range of languages, religions and traditions. Some of my first impressions of Delhi – the world's most populous nation's capital city with 33 million inhabitants – are emblazoned on my memory: cars honking their way through the city's streets; cows and monkeys suddenly appearing in the road in front of you; couples sharing romantic moments in the city's many parks, reminiscent of earlier times; Old Delhi full of smells, colours, noise and traders selling their wares. In the midst of it all, a small library that conserves some rare Christian and Islamic scriptures; in a side street, a Swiss-trained watchmaker who brings broken watches back to life in his 'Time Clinic'. Time seems to have stood still here.

My first business trip to Bangalore, on the other hand, transported me into the future. The third largest city in India, known as the 'Silicon Valley of India', has developed into a centre for research institutions, start-ups and companies in the IT, biotech and aerospace sectors. A year ago, Switzerland established the Indo–Swiss Innovation Platform here, which promotes initiatives in health, sustainability and digital transformation, and where scientists are working on new technologies at a remarkable pace.

With air pollution in Delhi reaching an Air Quality Index score of 1701, while readings in Bern are as low as 17, I am transported back to the 'now'. Thanks to Swiss technology from IQ Air, we know that haze is not the same as mist... The climate is a priority in the SDC's programme, which can boast a number of success stories in neighbouring countries: affordable, low-carbon cement (LC3) has been developed with EPFL and Holcim; the Clean Air Programme, which shows authorities how to take action against air pollution, has been extended to neighbouring Bangladesh and Nepal; a detection system in the Himalayas is helping Switzerland to better understand how its own Alps are melting; and training for the Indian Disaster Response Corps should enable India to respond effectively to disasters.

The time has finally come for me to present my credentials as Switzerland's first female ambassador to India to President Droupadi Murmu – India's first indigenous female president, who comes from a remote tribal community. Under the unblinking gaze of the lance bearers, this is a very special honour, accentuated by the vastness of the palace, which still reeks of empire despite a bust of Gandhi and the smell of vegetarian samosas in the background.

President Murmu spoke of the free trade agreement between India and EFTA, which was signed in March of this year after 16 years of tough negotiations. Once ratified, it will herald a new chapter in bilateral relations. The priorities are clear: investment, innovation and sustainability.

Hitachi Energy Zurich will expand production, digital research and talent development. Flughafen Zürich AG has been awarded the contract for the construction of Noida Airport in Delhi and the Swiss technology company Bühler will expand its food production capacities. Swiss companies are showing great interest in India.

For the many actors from the worlds of politics, business and academia that I met in my first few months, India has been given a significant boost through cooperation: as a fast-growing democracy, thanks to its geopolitical role as a partner in the Indo–Pacific and its dynamic economy, India is becoming an indispensable partner for Europe.

In contrast to China or Russia, India is more of a balancing force that does not challenge the international order. Nevertheless, it wants to remain true to its strategic autonomy and capitalise on Sino–American rivalry to further its own ambitions.

India is central, but not dominant. Within the BRICS, India has a balancing effect and has made a cautious turn towards the West. Internationally, its 'democratic aspirations' were emphasised by the outcome of the parliamentary elections. India is being courted internationally and believes that its time has come. Those who don't jump on the bandwagon will miss the boat.

The only way for Switzerland to respond to India's challenges and the opportunities that arise for Switzerland is through its network: four departments (the FDFA, FDF, DDPS and DEFR) and four partners (Switzerland Tourism, Switzerland Global Enterprise, Swissnex, Pro Helvetia) are pulling in the same direction with the 'ONE-Switzerland Spirit' and the two-year motto 'Sustainability with a Plus' – be it in the implementation of the free trade agreement, in scientific cooperation or in the environmental sector.

The end of the year is approaching and a walk through the world's largest Swiss visa centre makes it clear that the basis for everything we do is being meticulously worked on here. Switzerland has been a popular holiday destination for Indians since the Bollywood films of the 1970s, which were mainly set in the Bernese Oberland. From 0 visas during the COVID pandemic, Delhi rose to 200,000 visas by 2023, and a further 10% increase is on the horizon. This generates annual income of CHF 17 million – bringing welcome additional funding to Switzerland.

India is indeed geopolitically and economically indispensable, multifaceted and full of surprises.

Swiss ambassador to the United States

What will it feel like to return to Washington, D.C., after 17 years?

My wife and I asked ourselves this question during the months we spent preparing for our transfer from New Delhi to Washington.

At first glance, everything seems the same: the street and the house where we lived for four and a half years as a young family, even our neighbours from back then, the kindergarten, the school, and the church our children attended, the restaurants and the shopping centres.  Even professionally, everything seems the same as before: between 2003 and 2007, I was responsible for the Iran dossier. Switzerland still represents the interests of the United States in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

On closer inspection, however, the changes become apparent. Food prices in the shops seem to have reached Swiss levels.The same applies to eating in restaurants. Inflation has left its noticeable marks. It's no wonder this is an election issue, with Americans wondering whether their households are better off now than four years ago.

On my first business trips to Austin (Texas), Chicago, Atlanta (Georgia), Charlotte (North Carolina), Columbus and Greer in South Carolina, I took the pulse of 'America'. The developments in the southern United States are impressive. On both sides of Interstate 85 heading north from Atlanta, new company headquarters and production facilities are visible everywhere.  I was travelling to Greer for the opening of a production facility belonging to a Swiss company based in Ticino.

In Charlotte (North Carolina), it's evident that people are doing well. There are expensive, trendy restaurants, high-rise buildings with banks, and even a modern art museum designed by Mario Botta and donated by a Swiss industrialist and art collector. This stands as a testament to the historical presence of the Swiss textile machine industry in the Cotton Belt.

On my flight from Austin to Chicago, I was reminded of just how vast the United States is and what geographical advantages it has. The Mississippi alone serves as a huge transport artery, linking the Great Lakes with the Gulf of Mexico. In Chicago, at one of the largest engineering fairs, a municipal representative told me that the Great Lakes alone contain 20% of the world's fresh water reserves – a truly strategic resource in a world facing climate change.

The Swiss business community in the US is in high spirits. You can feel it. You can hear it. However, there is one minor downside. One of the major challenges for Swiss companies is the shortage of skilled workers. I now understand why the US federal and state governments are so keen to collaborate with Switzerland and Swiss companies in the field of apprenticeship training.

I'm impressed by the many new and forward-thinking areas of cooperation between Switzerland and the US. A new strategic dimension in our relations is the entire field of emerging technologies. This encompasses digital policy, cybersecurity, AI, quantum technology, biotechnology, semiconductors and space policy.For our bilateral relations, it seems the expression 'the sky's the limit' is quite literal.

Then there's domestic politics. With only a few weeks remaining until the presidential election, surprisingly few signs of the impending decision are visible in the predominantly Democrat District of Columbia. I observed the same thing in South Carolina, a state with a clear Republican majority. This is because the election campaign is concentrated in seven swing states, where tight majorities mean they could determine the result – and in those places, campaigning is much more intense. Indeed, residents of Georgia and Pennsylvania are expressing their weariness with the endless barrage of election slogans, as both campaigns are spending hundreds of millions of dollars. Beyond the high cost of living, the election campaign revolves around issues including immigration, abortion rights and democracy.

Unsurprisingly, the political climate is polarised during this election campaign. The rhetoric has become more extreme, especially before the cameras, and people view the potential election outcome with either concern or hope, depending on their perspective. Away from the media frenzy, however, Republicans and Democrats can still engage in meaningful dialogue. I experienced this during a dinner at my residence with staff working for members of Congress from both parties. The group of staffers had visited Switzerland together in the spring, which created a bond.

There are also issues that transcend party lines, particularly China. During my last posting to Washington, the focus was on al-Qaeda and ISIS, along with the Iraq war.Today, China is the dominant political issue that unites both Republicans and Democrats. To understand current and future US security, foreign, economic and science policies, one must view them through the lens of America's China policy. It's no surprise, then, that in my first two months, everyone discussed industrial policy with me – a term that was clearly taboo 20 years ago.

And this is also what defines the United States: a country capable of adapting and changing at an incredible pace. In our relations with the United States, as always, a great deal of flexibility is required.

Jürg Lauber, Ambassador

Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the United Nations and to the other international organisations in Geneva and Secretary General of the 34th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent

The Geneva Conventions are my daily companions. Not only because they are the historical roots of modern multilateralism, but also because they express the fundamental concern to preserve humanity at all times and in all places. They underpin almost all the fields I work in and spur me on, be it in international humanitarian law and human rights, refugee policy, global health issues, challenges posed by emerging technologies or other areas. 

The Geneva Conventions of 1949 were adopted in the aftermath of the horrors of two world wars. They are the only international treaties to which all states have bound themselves. Every day, they have an impact in countless places around the world, for example when an ambulance is granted access to an embattled area or when a prisoner of war receives a visit from an ICRC delegate.

We are celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions at a time when armed conflicts are on the rise worldwide and reports of new atrocities are coming in thick and fast. This anniversary is therefore an important opportunity to remind ourselves of the fundamental importance of the Conventions.

Another such opportunity will be the 34th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, to be held in Geneva from 28 to 31 October 2024. Participants will include the contracting parties to the Geneva Conventions (states) and the members of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (the National Societies, their International Federation, the IFRC, and the International Committee of the Red Cross, the ICRC). In view of the turmoil and uncertainties around the world, they are called upon to reaffirm their commitment to the existing rules. Beyond that, they will be seeking answers to new social and technological developments concerning matters such as how digital technologies are used in armed conflicts and how to gear humanitarian aid even better to local needs. Another focus will be on how to detect humanitarian disasters earlier on and contain them through suitable measures.

Switzerland is supporting the conference in ways that include sending me to act in an advisory capacity as (designated) Secretary General. This assignment brings me full circle, as I commenced my diplomatic career as a member of the FDFA's human rights and international humanitarian law (Geneva Conventions) unit. I had previously got to know and appreciate the work of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement during field missions. This included Namibia, where I came into contact with ICRC delegates providing humanitarian protection on both sides of the border with Angola, and the Korean peninsula, where the offices of the respective National Red Cross Societies in the border town of Panmunjom maintain one of the few channels of communication between the South and the North.

Our country's unique ties with the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement also accompanied me closely later as a Swiss diplomat around the globe, but of course never more so than in my current work in Geneva. Every day here, I realise how much the reputation of the movement and, above all, of the ICRC, extends to Switzerland, but also how high other states' expectations of Switzerland are in this regard and how closely they observe how we behave as state party, host state and donor country. The 75th anniversary and the 34th International Conference are thus also welcome opportunities for us to honour this unique responsibility.