External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, currently on a two-day visit to Spain, met with Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares on Monday, urging for deeper cooperation to strengthen bilateral ties between India and Spain.
During the meeting, Jaishankar announced the signing of two key agreements between the two nations—one focused on sports and the other on sustainable urban development. “We have signed two agreements—one in sports and the other in sustainable urban development. They are indicative of how we are broadening our area of cooperation,” Jaishankar said, noting Spain’s significant influence within the EU. He emphasized that Spain’s voice in Brussels could play a critical role in deepening India-EU relations. “If the voice of Spain is more clearly and effectively heard in Brussels in support of the relationship, it would certainly help deepen our ties,” he added.
Jaishankar also urged Spain to contribute to India’s “Make in India” initiative, highlighting that over 230 Spanish companies currently operate in India. “We would welcome more of them to join us in ‘Make in India,’ ‘Design in India,’ and collaborate with India,” he said. The two countries have made notable progress in defense and security, with Jaishankar mentioning the recent handover of the C295 aircraft during Spanish President Pedro Sánchez’s visit to India. “We look forward to intensifying our defense and security cooperation,” he added, praising the collaboration between the Indian and Spanish militaries.
In a bid to foster people-to-people ties, Jaishankar also shared plans to make 2026 a year of artificial intelligence, culture, and tourism between the two nations. “Looking ahead, one important milestone we have agreed on is 2026 as a year of culture, tourism, and AI. I think it will help bring our people much closer,” he said.
Jaishankar expressed his satisfaction with the recent opening of the Spanish Consulate in Bengaluru, which he called a “good sign” for deepening India-Spain ties. He also spoke about the growing need for mobility of skilled professionals, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence, between the two countries. “The era of AI will call for greater mobility of skilled professionals. I was very happy that we have recently opened our consulate in Barcelona, and we look forward to your consulate in Bengaluru,” he noted.
Highlighting India’s interest in the Mediterranean region, Jaishankar shared that India’s annual trade with Mediterranean countries stands at USD 80 billion. “India actually has a fairly strong interest in the Mediterranean,” he said, noting that India has Indian companies operating ports in the region and is involved in defense, security, and green hydrogen projects. He reiterated the importance of Spain’s support in this regard, adding that India would be more visible in the Mediterranean in the coming years.
Jaishankar also pointed to India’s ongoing peacekeeping role in Lebanon and the Golan Heights under the UN, underscoring shared interests in global peace and security. “Our peacekeepers are deployed in Lebanon and the Golan Heights, and we have common interests in advancing peace and security,” he said.
On broader global issues, Jaishankar mentioned concerns about the Indo-Pacific, the situation in the Middle East, the future of Ukraine, and terrorism, all of which would feature prominently in ongoing discussions between the two countries. He expressed confidence that closer cooperation between India and Spain, along with stronger India-EU ties, could play a stabilizing role in the face of global uncertainties. “The world may look today a little volatile and uncertain, but it is important that countries with similar attitudes and converging interests work more closely,” Jaishankar said.
Reflecting on the progress of India-Spain relations, Jaishankar recalled his visit to Spain in 2017 with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, noting that the bilateral relationship had made significant strides since then. “We can see in the ensuing years that there has been very good progress in our cooperation,” Jaishankar remarked. He also highlighted the growing bilateral trade, which currently stands at around 10 billion euros, with promising opportunities in areas like railways, digital technology, urban technologies, and green clean technologies.
Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares expressed Spain’s eagerness to strengthen ties with India, especially in light of the upcoming bilateral summit later this year. He highlighted the importance of the summit in reviewing the international context, including the Indo-Pacific region, global affairs, and development funding. “We hope to agree on a new strategic agenda between India and Europe and give a new boost to negotiations between the EU and India,” Albares said, emphasizing India’s crucial role in development funding, particularly at the UN Development Summit in Seville, Spain, in June 2025.
(With ANI inputs)