Srinagar, May 29 (JKNS): Ambassador of Switzerland to India Maya Tissafi on Friday highlighted the growing scope of Switzerland-India collaboration in Kashmir, following a series of meetings with top political and administrative leadership in Srinagar.
In a post on X, as per news agency JKNS, Tissafi said she held “productive meetings” with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to discuss cooperation in areas including sustainable tourism, vocational training, food processing and agriculture.
The Swiss envoy stated that Swiss expertise is already contributing to Jammu and Kashmir’s development through private sector involvement in infrastructure, hydropower technology, tunnels, bridges and joint research initiatives.
“I was proud to share how Swiss expertise is contributing to the region’s development through the private sector, from tunnels and bridges to hydropower tech and joint research,” she wrote, adding that conversations in Kashmir were accompanied by traditional kahwa.
Earlier on Thursday, Tissafi shared her experience of visiting Gulmarg for the first time and referred to the influence of Bollywood films in making both Switzerland and Kashmir globally recognisable tourist destinations.
“From DDLJ to Jab Tak Hai Jaan, Bollywood made both Switzerland and Gulmarg unforgettable on screen,” she wrote.
The Ambassador also stressed the importance of cooperation between Switzerland and India in mountain resilience, sustainable tourism and disaster risk reduction. She mentioned ongoing collaborations in Himalayan glaciology with University of Kashmir and cloud research initiatives with ETH Zurich.
She further appreciated the craftsmanship of Kashmiri shawl and carpet artisans, describing their artistry as “as beautiful as the landscape itself.”
In another post, Tissafi described Kashmir’s mountains as “wonderfully familiar to a Swiss” and revealed that she held discussions with Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo and former minister Sajad Lone on development priorities and future opportunities in the region.
According to the envoy, discussions also covered future collaboration in hospitality, dairy farming, food processing, tourism and vocational education.
She also described her visit to Nishat Garden as a memorable introduction to the spirit and beauty of Kashmir. (JKNS)