India, Spain Eye Enhanced Cooperation in Defense, Science, and Technology
India and Spain held the 8th round of Foreign Office Consultations in New Delhi, reviewing their bilateral ties. The meeting was co-chaired by Sibi George, Secretary (West) at the Ministry of External Affairs, and Diego Martinez Belio, Secretary of State for Foreign and Global Affairs of Spain.
The two sides reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral relations, including political, economic, and commercial ties, infrastructure, railways, defense and security, science and technology, cultural, tourism, and people-to-people ties. They noted progress in the “Make in India” C-295 project, with the first aircraft expected to roll out from the Airbus-TATA C-295 final assembly line plant in Vadodara next year.
The consultations also focused on the upcoming India-Spain Year of Culture, Tourism, and Artificial Intelligence in 2026, aiming to strengthen bilateral cooperation. Both countries expressed happiness at the growing India-EU strategic partnership and discussed regional and global issues, including the global fight against terrorism. India reiterated its policy of zero tolerance against terrorism.
Spain is India’s 6th largest trade partner in Europe, and their defense partnership has witnessed rapid growth in recent years. The two sides agreed to continue high-level interactions and exchanges in trade, investment, defense, science, and technology, among other areas.
