Spanish President Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón is preparing for an official visit to India soon, according to Spain's Foreign Minister, Jose Manuel Albares. Albares expressed his hope that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi would also be able to visit Spain in the future.
During a meeting with India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in New Delhi on Wednesday, Albares conveyed Spain's eagerness to collaborate with India bilaterally, through the European Union, and in the multilateral sphere. He also expressed Spain's interest in joining the Indo-Pacific Ocean Initiative, formally presenting a letter to Jaishankar to mark the occasion. Albares articulated Spain's desire to elevate its relationship with India to a strategic association, the highest level of relationship Spain has with its allies.
The Spanish Foreign Minister also thanked Jaishankar for expressing solidarity following the recent train accident in Barcelona, which resulted in over 40 fatalities.
Albares highlighted the shared vision of India and Spain, as represented by the logo for the dual year of culture, tourism, and artificial intelligence. He noted the extensive program of events planned to commemorate this year and expressed his anticipation for its unveiling.
According to Albares, a significant indicator of strengthened relations would be the finalization of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the EU and India. He emphasized that now is the opportune time for such an agreement, as both Spain and India are among the world's fastest-growing economies, with their respective enterprises poised to gain from enhanced trade relations. Albares indicated that discussions would explore opportunities to further expand trade, increase the presence of Spanish companies in India, and encourage Indian companies to establish a presence in Spain.
This visit follows President Sánchez's official visit to India in late October 2024, the first by a Spanish President in 18 years. During that visit, Sánchez and Modi inaugurated the Final Assembly Line Plant for C-295 aircraft in Vadodara, a collaborative venture between Airbus Spain and Tata Advanced Systems, under the "Make in India" initiative. The plant is expected to produce the first "Made in India" C295 aircraft in 2026.
In their joint statement from October 2024, both leaders expressed satisfaction with the progress of bilateral relations since Prime Minister Modi's visit to Spain in 2017 and instructed their teams to continue strengthening cooperation across various dimensions, including political, economic, security, defense, and cultural exchanges. They also acknowledged the potential of tourism in fostering economic opportunities and understanding between the two nations and expressed their support for establishing direct flights between Spain and India. Both leaders agreed to designate 2026 as the Year of India and Spain in Culture, Tourism, and Artificial Intelligence.
