SRINAGAR: Ambassador of Switzerland to India and Bhutan, Maya Tissafi, on Friday underscored the expanding scope of cooperation between Switzerland and India in Jammu and Kashmir following a series of meetings with senior political and administrative leaders in Srinagar.
Productive meetings in #Srinagar with Lieutenant Governor @manojsinha_ and Chief Minister @OmarAbdullah on the scope for 🇨🇭🇮🇳collaboration in #Kashmir– from sustainable #tourism and vocational training to food processing and agriculture.
I was proud to share how Swiss expertise… pic.twitter.com/kvOhnuV9jO
— Maya Tissafi (@SwissAmbIND) May 29, 2026
In a post on X, she described her meetings with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah as “productive”, noting that discussions focused on sustainable tourism, vocational training, food processing and agriculture.
The Swiss envoy said Swiss expertise is already contributing to development in Jammu and Kashmir through private sector participation in infrastructure projects, including hydropower, tunnels, bridges and collaborative research initiatives. She added that she was pleased to share these contributions, and noted that her engagements in Kashmir were accompanied by traditional kahwa.
Earlier on Thursday, Tissafi said she visited Gulmarg for the first time and reflected on the influence of Bollywood cinema in making both Switzerland and Kashmir globally recognised tourist destinations, citing films such as Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge and Jab Tak Hai Jaan.
She also highlighted the importance of cooperation between Switzerland and India in mountain resilience, sustainable tourism and disaster risk reduction, referring to ongoing work in Himalayan glaciology with the University of Kashmir and cloud research initiatives with ETH Zurich.
Praising local craftsmanship, she described Kashmiri shawls and carpets as exceptional works of art, likening their beauty to the natural landscape of the region.
In another post, the Ambassador said Kashmir’s mountains felt “wonderfully familiar to a Swiss” and noted discussions with Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo and former minister Sajad Lone on development priorities and future opportunities in the region.
According to her, the talks also explored potential collaboration in hospitality, dairy farming, food processing, tourism and vocational education. She further described her visit to Nishat Garden as a memorable introduction to the cultural and natural beauty of Kashmir.
