India and Spain recently engaged in the 8th round of Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) in New Delhi, marking a significant step in their ongoing efforts to enhance cooperation across various domains, including political, economic, technological, and cultural sectors.
The Indian delegation was led by Sibi George, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs, while Spain was represented by Diego Martinez Belio, Secretary of State for Foreign and Global Affairs. During the consultations, both sides reviewed existing collaborations and explored new opportunities to strengthen their strategic partnership.
A key topic of discussion was the progress of the ‘Make in India’ C-295 transport aircraft program, jointly being executed by Airbus and Tata Advanced Systems. Officials confirmed that the first aircraft from the Vadodara final assembly line is anticipated to be completed next year, representing a notable advancement in India’s push for indigenous aerospace manufacturing.
In a bid to further cultivate bilateral relations, India and Spain agreed to designate 2026 as the ‘India–Spain Year of Culture, Tourism, and Artificial Intelligence’. This initiative, commemorating 70 years of diplomatic relations, aims to foster collaboration in cultural exchanges, tourism ventures, and emerging digital technologies.
Tourism remains a vital element of their partnership, with Spain welcoming approximately 250,000 Indian visitors annually and over 80,000 Spanish nationals traveling to India each year, showcasing the strong mutual interest in cultural and tourism exchanges.
The discussions also encompassed strategic issues and multilateral coordination. Both nations reaffirmed their commitment to bolster the India–EU strategic partnership and shared perspectives on global challenges, including terrorism, security, and sustainable development. India reiterated its firm stance on zero tolerance against terrorism and expressed gratitude to Spain for its support of India’s candidacy as an Associate Observer in the Ibero-American Conference.
The consultations underscored the ongoing diplomatic momentum following Spanish President Pedro Sánchez’s visit to India in October 2024, alongside External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s trip to Madrid in January 2025.
Priority areas for future engagement were identified, including defense cooperation, collaboration in science and technology, film co-production, sustainable urban development, and innovation partnerships. Both parties agreed on the necessity of maintaining regular institutional dialogues to cultivate resilient and forward-looking ties.
The meeting concluded with an understanding to hold the next round of consultations in Spain at a mutually convenient time, reinforcing the strengthening India–Spain relationship within a rapidly changing global context.
