Opinion India and Switzerland are shaping an AI future based on trust
Our shared objective is clear: AI must be safe, innovative, open and inclusive
Switzerland is honoured to support India’s vision for the AI Impact Summit 2026. India has emerged as one of the world’s leading AI nations, combining technological capability with an inclusive vision of digital transformation. Its decision to host the AI Impact Summit 2026 places it at the centre of the gconversation at a moment when leadership grounded in responsibility is urgently needed. As Switzerland’s Ambassador to India, I have witnessed the remarkable convergence of our two countries’ approaches to AI — not as a race for dominance, but as a shared responsibility to steward a powerful technology. Both recognise that AI’s long-term success depends not only on innovation, but on trust.
Switzerland brings to this partnership a distinct set of strengths that are increasingly critical in the age of AI: World-class scientific research, a dense innovation ecosystem, a multilingual and multicultural society, and consensus-based governance. These assets make Switzerland not only a reliable partner, but a credible and forward-looking location for the development and governance of AI.
AI is reshaping economies, security architectures, public services, democratic processes and everyday life. It can accelerate development and expand opportunity — or deepen inequalities, erode trust and exacerbate geopolitical tensions. Global cooperation is, therefore, essential.
For AI to fulfil its promise, technological progress must go hand in hand with clear governance, transparency and public confidence. Performance alone cannot guarantee legitimacy. Trust emerges when governments, companies, researchers, civil society and affected communities shape decisions together. India has played a pioneering role in amplifying voices that are too often underrepresented, ensuring that the AI revolution does not replicate historical patterns of exclusion. This inclusive approach is a cornerstone of India’s global leadership.
Switzerland is honoured to support India’s vision for the AI Impact Summit 2026. Our shared objective is clear: AI must be safe, innovative, open and inclusive. At the summit, Switzerland will co-chair the working group Inclusion for Social Empowerment, focusing on inclusive, multilingual and culturally grounded AI that empowers marginalised communities.
Switzerland participates in this effort with commitment, resources and expertise. Institutions such as ETH Zurich and EPF Lausanne rank among the world’s leading centres for AI research, closely connected to innovative companies active in machine learning, robotics, health technologies and language models. Switzerland consistently ranks at the top of global innovation indices, reflecting a system where research excellence, entrepreneurship and public trust reinforce one another.
The strength of Switzerland’s AI ecosystem lies not in scale, but in coherence. Researchers, industry, regulators and international organisations operate closely together, allowing ideas to move efficiently from laboratory to application, and from innovation to governance. Switzerland’s multilingual reality is an asset, reflected in pioneering initiatives such as Apertus, an open-source multilingual AI model trained on curated and verified data. Most importantly, Switzerland offers an environment where AI governance can evolve alongside innovation. As a global hub where diplomacy, humanitarian action, science, law and economics intersect, the “International Geneva” provides a unique space where complex technological questions can be translated into durable norms and practical rules. India and Switzerland are, therefore, natural partners. Both understand that responsible AI does not hinder innovation, but enables it.
At the heart of this partnership lies a shared conviction: Trust in AI is not built through technical specifications alone, but through transparent processes, meaningful accountability mechanisms and governance structures that reflect society’s diversity.
Switzerland is committed to working alongside India and all partners to ensure AI serves human dignity, prosperity and social progress. As India prepares to lead the global AI conversation in 2026, the path beyond already begins to take shape. Switzerland is ready to help carry this momentum forward — by translating our shared values into standards, tools and partnerships that endure. This would be the next step in our joint efforts to shape an AI future worthy of our highest aspirations. Switzerland is proud to walk this path with India.
The writer is Ambassador of Switzerland to India and Bhutan
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