Kashmir Impulse Desk
New Delhi, Oct 05
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday gifted Swiss President Guy Parmelin three Indian cheeses and a hand-carved Kashmiri walnut wood panel during Parmelin’s three-day visit to India.
The gifts included Gulmarg, Konark and Yeoor cheeses, along with a walnut wood wall panel depicting traditional Kashmiri life and landscapes.
Gulmarg is a French-style, soft and creamy Brie made from pasteurised cow’s milk. It won a Super Gold award at the 2026 Mundial do Queijo do Brasil.
Konark, a French Tomme-style cheese, 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 and is matured for around eight to nine months. Its rind is decorated with rose petals and fennel.
The Kashmiri walnut panel was hand-carved in deep relief and depicts landscapes, flora, people, horses, carriages and village life. It reflects Kashmir’s woodcarving tradition and influences from indigenous and Central Asian artistic styles.
Parmelin began his three-day visit on Monday. It is his first state visit to India and his second visit this year after attending the AI Impact Summit in February.
Modi also gifted a Kutchi shawl and a Sadeli box to Parmelin’s wife Caroline Parmelin.
The shawl is a handwoven textile from Gujarat’s Kutch region, while the Sadeli box from Surat features geometric patterns created by assembling and layering contrasting materials.
Earlier, Modi held talks with Parmelin on strengthening bilateral ties, including trade and investment, mobility and critical technologies.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also met the Swiss president and discussed bilateral relations.
