India and Spain conducted the 8th round of Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) in New Delhi on Thursday, reaffirming their shared commitment to deepening cooperation across a wide spectrum of bilateral relations. The meeting underscored continued progress in political dialogue, economic engagement, infrastructure, defence, science and technology, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges.

The Indian delegation was led by Sibi George, Secretary (West), Ministry of External Affairs, while Spain was represented by Diego Martinez Belio, Secretary of State for Foreign and Global Affairs. Both sides conducted a comprehensive review of existing collaborations and explored new avenues to expand their strategic partnership.

A key highlight of the consultations was the discussion on the flagship ‘Make in India’ C-295 transport aircraft project, jointly executed by Airbus and Tata Advanced Systems. The first C-295 aircraft is expected to roll out from the final assembly line in Vadodara next year, marking a milestone in India’s efforts to build indigenous aerospace manufacturing capacity with global technology integration.

The two delegations agreed to commemorate the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2026 as the ‘India-Spain Year of Culture, Tourism, and Artificial Intelligence’. This initiative is expected to create fresh collaborative opportunities in the cultural and digital innovation sectors while strengthening tourism and public engagement between the two nations.

Tourism has emerged as one of the most vibrant pillars of bilateral relations. Spain remains a leading European destination for Indian tourists, attracting nearly 250,000 visitors annually. In return, over 80,000 Spanish nationals travel to India each year, bolstering cultural understanding and business connectivity.

Geopolitical and multilateral cooperation also featured prominently in the discussions. Both countries reaffirmed their support for strengthening the India-EU strategic partnership and exchanged views on pressing global challenges, including terrorism, security, and sustainable development.

India reiterated its zero-tolerance stance towards terrorism and expressed gratitude to the Spanish government for supporting its candidature as an Associate Observer in the Ibero-American Conference.

The consultations built upon the renewed diplomatic momentum following the visit of Spanish President Pedro Sánchez to India in October 2024 and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s reciprocal visit to Madrid in January 2025. These high-level interactions have laid the groundwork for enhanced institutional cooperation in trade, defence, and technology sectors.

India and Spain also emphasised the importance of regular dialogues in defence collaboration, science and technology, film co-production, sustainable urban development, and innovation partnerships. Both sides agreed that such structured engagements are essential for building resilient and future-oriented ties in a rapidly changing international order.

The meeting concluded with a mutual understanding to maintain the pace of high-level exchanges and convene the next round of Foreign Office Consultations in Spain at a mutually agreed date.

The discussions reflected the growing maturity and multi-dimensional character of India-Spain relations, poised to expand further as both nations align their ambitions for global stability, sustainability, and technological advancement.

Based On ANI Report