NEW DELHI, Mar 6 : Science and know-how have grow to be a “core currency” in worldwide affairs, influencing sovereignty and safety on a world scale, prompting Switzerland to make anticipatory science diplomacy a priority in its foreign coverage, a prime Swiss official mentioned on Friday.
At an occasion hosted by the Swiss Embassy right here, Alexandre Fasel, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Switzerland, additionally mentioned, “Our collaboration with India reflects a shared vision between two global innovation leaders, combining cutting-edge excellence with India’s unparalleled ability to scale innovation for millions.”
The embassy hosted an ‘Anticipatory Leadership Lab’ in collaboration with the Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator (GESDA) and the workplace of the principal scientific advisor to the federal government of India.
The Lab introduced collectively round 60 leaders from the fields of science, governance, diplomacy, enterprise and civil society in a structured, multistakeholder dialogue to strengthen their collective capability to anticipate and govern rising scientific and technological breakthroughs, officers mentioned.
GESDA’s engagement with Delhi builds on a collection of exchanges with Indian counterparts over the previous years, together with interactions through the 2024 and 2025 GESDA summits, an official assertion mentioned.
The GESDA Science Breakthrough Radar – an annual report that maps the analysis advances anticipated to remodel society and the planet over the following 5, 10 and 25 years – was additionally mentioned on the occasion.
The New Delhi engagement is a part of a rising long-term partnership between the GESDA and India to deepen collaboration across the Science Breakthrough Radar and anchor anticipatory science diplomacy capacities domestically, the assertion mentioned.
Fasel mentioned, “For the Swiss government, anticipating and understanding scientific breakthroughs is no longer a luxury, but a diplomatic necessity.”
“Science and technology have become a ‘core currency’ in international affairs, influencing prosperity, sovereignty and security on a global scale,” the assertion quoted Fasel as saying.
Switzerland has, subsequently, made anticipatory science diplomacy “a priority in our foreign policy”, he mentioned.
“Our collaboration with India reflects a shared vision between two global innovation leaders, combining cutting-edge excellence with India’s unparalleled ability to scale innovation for millions,” he added.
At the occasion, the contributors collaborated to discover how frontier applied sciences may influence India and the world throughout numerous timeframes, determine alternatives and dangers for public coverage, diplomacy and trade, and recommend actionable steps for cooperation, the assertion mentioned.
It underlined that India has performed a “pioneering role” as a member of the advisory committee of the Open Quantum Institute – GESDA’s anticipatory governance initiative designed to handle the societal implications of quantum applied sciences earlier than they attain full maturity and widespread deployment.
Recent discussions led to engagements in New Delhi in March 2025, together with bilateral conferences with the workplace of the principal scientific advisor and participation in initiatives such because the Raisina Young Fellows Forum and the newly-created Raisina Science Diplomacy Initiative (SDI), introduced a day in the past.
These exchanges additionally explored alternatives to develop a longer-term partnership with Indian counterparts, together with the potential co-design of an India-anchored Anticipatory Leadership Week (ALW) in 2026, alongside continued dialogue and tailor-made actions connecting the GESDA Radar insights with Indian establishments and nationwide priorities, the assertion mentioned.
A Ok Sood, Principal Scientific Advisor to the federal government of India, mentioned the disruptive frontiers will outline the following quarter-century, and that quantum computing, synthetic common intelligence, artificial biology, and neurotechnology will not be distant abstractions.
Marilyne Andersen, Director-General of GESDA, mentioned, “Anticipatory science diplomacy enables us to harness fast-moving scientific breakthroughs for the benefit of humanity before they deepen global fractures and inequalities.”
It grounds decision-making in rigorous science, permitting to maintain the dialog to stay open and preserved from competitors, pressures or fast fixes, she mentioned.
“It opens an essential window to carefully account for all implications and involve policymakers, diplomats, scientists, innovators and citizens across geographies, socio-economic realities and cultural contexts around the table,” Andersen mentioned. (PTI)