Diplomacy in Action: Insights from Swiss Business Hub India Head Florin Müller

In today’s interconnected world, diplomacy has become an essential tool for maintaining and promoting international relations. Diplomats are responsible for representing their country and negotiating on its behalf, both at home and abroad. Recently, ATLAS SkillTech University hosted a masterclass session on Diplomacy in Action, featuring Florin Müller, the Head of the Swiss Business Hub India.

The Diplomacy in Action masterclass session provided an excellent opportunity for our BBA students to gain valuable insights into the world of diplomacy. Mr. Müller’s experiences and stories offered a unique perspective on the importance of diplomacy in today’s world and how it can be used to promote international relations and achieve common goals.

About Florin Müller

As Head of the Swiss Business Hub India in Mumbai, Florin Müller is driving economic growth and fostering innovation in one of the world’s most dynamic markets. His expertise in international trade and diplomacy stems from years of experience in senior positions at the Embassy of Switzerland in New Delhi and the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs.

Florin Müller’s passion for innovation policy is evident from his role as Deputy Head of the Innovation Policy Section of the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation in Berne. He has also worked in various roles in the private sector, primarily in the financial industry.

Florin Müller holds a Master’s degree in Political Science, International Law, and Science of Religions from the University of Zurich. He also earned a Certificate of Advanced Studies in International Marketing and Communication and completed vocational education and training as a commercial employee in an NGO. With his diverse background and extensive experience, Florin Müller is a dynamic leader poised to make a significant impact on the global business landscape.

Insights from the session

Diplomacy is the approach to achieve goals or aims with peaceful means

During the session, Mr. Müller provided valuable insights into the world of diplomacy and shed light on the various aspects of diplomatic meetings. One of the key takeaways from the session was the highly scripted nature of diplomatic meetings. Diplomatic meetings are planned well in advance and follow a strict protocol. Any deviations from the agenda can cause significant extra work for the supporting diplomats and their teams.

Diplomatic meetings are highly scripted

Mr. Müller also highlighted the importance of cooperation in diplomacy. Cooperation between countries and organisations is essential to achieve common goals and resolve conflicts. Economic and trade diplomacy were also discussed, with Mr. Müller sharing examples of bilateral trade and economic diplomacy between Switzerland and India. He discussed the Free Trade Agreement EFTA-India, bilateral investment protection treaty, automatic exchange of information on financial accounts, bilateral air service agreement, export and investment promotion.

Diplomatic process works extremely slowly

Furthermore, Mr. Müller shared his experiences working with Swiss businesses and negotiating on behalf of Switzerland. He talked about a proposed agreement between India and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), which includes Switzerland, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein. Mr. Müller emphasised how Switzerland offered India innovation and investment in exchange for a market for its highly technical goods, but the negotiations have not yet produced an agreement.

There is a lot of legwork and groundwork involved before and after the diplomatic meetings

The session also shed light on the rationale behind Swiss foreign aid to Indian projects. Mr. Müller explained how the Swiss Development Corporation provides grants to organisations working for climate change in India. He highlighted the fact that Switzerland’s prosperity and security are tied to reversing climate change, which is why they invest in Indian NGOs.

Bilateral economic diplomacy is safeguarding economic interests in one state through another state, while multilateral economic & trade diplomacy is safeguarding interests through participation in international organisations