Srinagar

Maya Tissafi on Friday met Jammu and and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in Srinagar and discussed opportunities for collaboration in areas such as sustainable tourism, horticulture and allied sectors.

According to the Chief Minister’s Office, the meeting focused on issues of mutual interest and potential cooperation between Switzerland and Jammu and Kashmir.

Tissafi later said on X that she had “productive meetings” with both Omar Abdullah and Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on enhancing Switzerland-India collaboration in Kashmir across sectors including sustainable tourism, vocational training, food processing and agriculture.

The Swiss envoy said Swiss expertise was already contributing to the region’s development through private-sector participation in infrastructure projects such as tunnels, bridges, hydropower technology and joint research initiatives.

She also visited Gulmarg, the well-known ski resort in north Kashmir, and reflected on the region’s cinematic connection with Bollywood films such as Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge and Jab Tak Hai Jaan.

“Seeing Gulmarg for the first time, I could understand why filmmakers keep returning to these valleys,” she said.

Tissafi also emphasised the shared responsibilities of mountain regions in areas such as resilience, sustainable tourism and disaster risk reduction. She highlighted ongoing Switzerland-India cooperation in scientific research, including Himalayan glaciology programmes at the University of Kashmir and cloud research collaborations with ETH Zurich.

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During her visit, the ambassador also witnessed the craftsmanship of Kashmir’s traditional shawl and carpet makers, describing the artistry as “just as beautiful as the landscape itself.”