Switzerland and India discuss cooperation in science and technology
Bern, 01.09.2025 — On 1 September, the 7th meeting of the Indo-Swiss Joint Committee on Science and Technology took place in Bern, co-chaired by Martina Hirayama, State Secretary for Education, Research and Innovation, and Abhay Karandikar, Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology. The discussions centred on bilateral cooperation in research and innovation. The next meeting is expected to be held in India in 2027.
Switzerland and India have maintained a bilateral agreement on science and technology cooperation since 2003, which provides the institutional framework for the Joint Committee. Delegations of high-ranking representatives of the research and innovation communities of both countries regularly meet to review ongoing collaboration. At this meeting, the focus was on making more targeted use of existing support instruments and complementing these with new approaches. Both sides acknowledged the success of the cooperation to date, highlighted its strong potential for long-term deepening, and agreed on concrete next steps for implementation.
Switzerland and India enjoy strong relations in education, research, and innovation (ERI). Since 2010, swissnex – Switzerland’s global ERI network – has operated an office in Bangalore to foster ties between ERI stakeholders in both countries. Since 2016, the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and its Indian partner agencies have supported over 300 joint bilateral research projects. Furthermore, the Zürcher Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaften (ZHAW) has been commissioned by SERI as the Leading House for South Asia to expand scientific cooperation with this region. In addition, over 370 Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships have been awarded to Indian researchers since 1961.