The Geneva School of Diplomacy (GSD) is pleased to announce the establishment of the India Centre, a joint initiative developed in partnership with the Rajdharam Foundation, India. The initiative marks the beginning of a long-term institutional collaboration dedicated to advancing dialogue, research, leadership development and policy engagement between India and Europe.
The partnership has been formalised through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Geneva School of Diplomacy and the Rajdharam Foundation. The India Centre will serve as a platform for constructive engagement among policymakers, diplomats, legislators, academics, industry leaders and young professionals from India and Europe.
The Centre seeks to promote collaboration across a broad range of areas, including international diplomacy, multilateral governance, trade and investment, innovation, sustainability, education, emerging technologies and global public policy. It will also encourage exchanges that strengthen mutual understanding and contribute to addressing shared global challenges.
Following the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding, Mr Dron Yadav, Co-founder and Director of the Rajdharam Foundation, visited the Geneva School of Diplomacy on 8 April 2026 to conclude the institutional formalities and finalise the framework for implementing the partnership. The visit marked an important milestone in laying the foundations for the India Centre and charting its future roadmap.
The India Centre is envisioned as a dynamic platform that will gradually introduce a range of academic and policy-oriented initiatives, including dialogues, conferences, fellowship programmes, executive education, research publications and youth leadership exchanges. By leveraging Geneva’s unique position as a global centre for diplomacy and multilateral cooperation, the initiative aims to strengthen meaningful engagement between Indian and European institutions while fostering practical collaboration on issues of international significance.
The Geneva School of Diplomacy and the Rajdharam Foundation look forward to working closely with public institutions, think tanks, businesses and civil society organisations in both regions to develop a vibrant ecosystem for dialogue, knowledge exchange and international cooperation.
Further details regarding the India Centre’s inaugural programmes and activities will be announced in due course.
Aims and Objectives of the India Centre
Aim
The India Centre aims to establish a sustained, Geneva-based platform that strengthens India-EU-Swiss engagement through academic programming, policy dialogue, executive education, research cooperation and multilateral engagement. It will create a bridge between European multilateral institutions and India’s national and regional governance systems.
The Centre aims to make Geneva a sustained bridge between India and Europe, connecting Indian governance, regional economic potential and policymakers with European and Swiss institutions through diplomacy, trade, technology, research and capacity-building.
Key Objectives
Strengthen multilateralism and global governance
Facilitate greater understanding and engagement between Indian policymakers and European and Swiss institutions concerning multilateral diplomacy, global governance and international institutions.
Advance digital diplomacy and emerging technologies
Build capacity and dialogue around digital diplomacy, artificial intelligence, cyber regulation and cross-border digital frameworks.
Promote India-EU-Swiss trade and business engagement
Develop platforms for dialogue on trade architecture, free trade agreement implications, international finance, sustainable finance, regulatory convergence and business diplomacy.
Strengthen regional and sub-national engagement
Connect European and Swiss institutions with Indian states, lawmakers, administrators and regional economic leaders, thereby expanding international engagement beyond traditional metropolitan centres.
Build legislative and governance capacity
Facilitate educational visits, policy exchanges and roundtables for Indian lawmakers, administrators and other stakeholders to enhance their understanding of international governance and regulatory frameworks.
Create a structured policy dialogue
Organise annual India-EU-Swiss dialogues, trade and business conclaves, policy roundtables and executive programmes in Geneva and India.
Develop research and knowledge
Encourage joint research involving GSD faculty and research students, and produce policy briefs, comparative governance papers, trade and governance reports, and other research outputs.
Build long-term institutional networks
Develop a growing network connecting Indian policymakers, European and Swiss institutions, diplomats, international organisations, academia and business stakeholders.
Enhance policy and regulatory preparedness
Improve awareness and institutional capacity among Indian stakeholders regarding international regulatory frameworks, global governance systems and the implementation of evolving trade and diplomatic relationships.
Create a continuous India-Europe platform
Move beyond individual events by establishing an ongoing programme of educational visits, policy dialogues, research, executive education and institutional cooperation anchored in Geneva.
Advisory Council
Dr Satish Poonia
Dr Satish Poonia is a senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader from Rajasthan and currently serves as a Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament from Rajasthan and National General Secretary of the BJP.
Born in the Churu district, he comes from a farming family and holds a PhD in Geography from the University of Rajasthan.
He has a long organisational association with the BJP, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, and served as President of the Rajasthan BJP from 2019 to 2023.
He was elected as a Member of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly for Amber in 2018 and subsequently served as Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly.
In August 2026, he was appointed BJP National General Secretary and Punjab in-charge while continuing as Haryana in-charge.
Dr C. P. Joshi
Dr C. P. Joshi is a senior Indian National Congress leader from Rajasthan and a former Speaker of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly, a position he held from 2018 to 2023.
A former professor with a PhD in Psychology, he has represented Nathdwara and has had a long career in Rajasthan politics.
He has also served as a Union Minister in the United Progressive Alliance government and has held several important organisational and governmental positions.
He remains a senior Congress figure in Rajasthan. In October 2026, he was appointed to lead a party committee examining alleged cross-voting in recent local-body elections.
Dr Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar
Dr Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar is the 77th Custodian of the House of Mewar and a prominent public figure associated with Udaipur’s heritage and cultural identity.
He is a businessman and hotelier, serving as Chairman and Managing Director of The Lake Palace Hotels and Motels Pvt. Ltd., and is closely associated with the HRH Group of Hotels.
Educated at Mayo College and in Australia and Singapore, he has focused on heritage conservation, tourism, education and philanthropy.
He also serves as a prominent public advocate for Mewar’s cultural legacy and has undertaken extensive initiatives in girls’ education, youth empowerment and social welfare.
Mr Peter Cook
Mr Peter Cook is a former British diplomat who served as British Deputy High Commissioner to Gujarat and Rajasthan, based in Ahmedabad, from 2019 to 2023.
Born in Kolkata in 1963, he spent his early childhood in India before returning to the United Kingdom.
He had a long career with the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, including postings in Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Türkiye, Denmark, Barbados, Qatar, Guyana and New York.
Before his posting in Ahmedabad, he served as Managing Director of the British Chamber of Commerce in Qatar.
Learn more about the Rajdharam Foundation.
