Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday gifted three special Indian cheeses – Gulmarg, Konark and Yeoor – and a hand-carved Kashmiri walnut wood wall panel to Swiss President Guy Parmelin, showcasing India’s rich and growing traditions of cheese-making and handicrafts.
Parmelin began his three-day visit to India on Monday. This is his first state visit to the country and his second visit this year, having previously attended the AI Impact Summit in February.
Gulmarg, a French-style cheese, is a heart-shaped, soft and creamy Brie made from pasteurised cow’s milk, with a snowy-white rind and earthy, mushroom-like notes. It received a Super Gold award at the 2026 Mundial do Queijo do Brasil, an international competition for cheese and dairy products.
Konark is a French Tomme-style cheese with a rustic, natural rind, supple texture, earthy and savoury flavours and a lemony finish. It won gold at the 2023 World Cheese Awards in Norway and silver in Switzerland in 2025.
Yeoor is a mountain-style cheese inspired by Swiss Gruyere, which is matured for around eight to nine months to develop nutty, sweet and herbaceous flavours. Its rose-petal and fennel-decorated rind gives it a distinctive Indian-Alpine character, while its excellent melting quality makes it suitable for fondue and grilled preparations.
Switzerland is famous worldwide for its wide varieties of cheese, and the three Indian cheeses offered a glimpse of India’s own rich and growing tradition of cheese-making.
The walnut wood wall panel showcases Kashmir’s centuries-old woodcarving heritage. Crafted from premium Himalayan walnut wood, it is intricately hand-carved in deep relief and depicts traditional landscapes, flora, human figures, horses, carriages and village life.
The panel reflects Kashmir’s distinctive artistic traditions shaped by indigenous and Central Asian influences and celebrates the skill and craftsmanship of Kashmiri artisans.
PM Modi also gifted a Kutchi shawl placed in a Sadeli box to the Swiss president’s wife, Caroline Parmelin, showcasing Gujarat’s rich traditions of weaving and decorative craftsmanship.
The Sadeli box, from Surat, features intricate geometric patterns created by precisely assembling and layering contrasting materials, while the Kutchi shawl is a vibrant handwoven textile from Kutch, distinguished by geometric motifs and supplementary-weft weaving.
Together, the shawl and the Sadeli box celebrate Gujarat’s artistic heritage and the skill and ingenuity of its artisans.
Earlier, PM Modi hosted Parmelin for wide-ranging talks to explore new opportunities in further strengthening India-Switzerland ties, especially in areas of trade and investment, mobility and critical technologies.
Ahead of Parmelin’s talks with PM Modi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met the Swiss leader and discussed various aspects of bilateral ties.
-PTI
