The engagement of Swiss Development Cooperation-SDC (a directorate of the Swiss Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs) in India dates back to early 1960s, when the Indo-Swiss Programme in Kerala was launched in the area of animal husbandry and livestock development. Over the next five decades, the bilateral collaboration extended to cover diversified areas such as natural resources management and environment, humanitarian assistance, rural finance and employment, human and institutional development, global environment, rural energy and housing, social inclusion and decentralization and local governance, in partnership with a range of stakeholders including the Government. 

Three years ago, in response to the new realities in India and globally, the engagement of Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) in India was reoriented to be part of the Global Programme on Climate Change, focusing on issues of common interests between India and Switzerland. 

The current portfolio of programmes of the Climate Change and Development Section (CCD) (implementing the Global Programme on Climate Change in India) of the Embassy includes:

 Global Programme on Climate Change: This constitutes the major part of the portfolio and includes engagement in climate change adaptation (including sustainable agriculture and food security), climate resilient development, energy efficiency, renewable energy, and linking grassroots voices to policies. 

For more information:  SDC in India

 Humanitarian Assistance: This covers issues of common interests between India and Switzerland in the field of disaster response and disaster risk reduction, including the USAR (Urban Search and Rescue) Programme and the pipeline programme on INSARAG certification of the National Disaster Response Force of the National Disaster Management Authority. 

 SECO: This relates to projects and initiatives funded by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs 

 LoGIN: This pertains to a three year South Asia regional project on Local Governance Initiative South Asia launched in 2008.