New Delhi. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Alberes in Delhi on Wednesday. During the conversation he said that both India and Spain have been victims of terrorism. Therefore, the whole world should adopt a policy of zero tolerance against terrorism. He stressed on working together to fight common challenges in the changing world.
Expressed grief over Cordoba train accident
Jaishankar expressed deep grief over the horrific train accident that took place in Cordoba, Spain on January 18. 40 people lost their lives in this accident. He expressed condolences to the families of the victims and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured. This accident happened when one train derailed and collided with another train. One of the trains involved in the accident was carrying about 300 people from Málaga to Madrid and the other was carrying about 200 people from Madrid to Huelva.
70 years of relationships and new logo
The year 2026 is very special for the relations between India and Spain. Both the countries are celebrating 70 years of their diplomatic relations. On this occasion, the double year of Culture, Tourism and Artificial Intelligence (AI) is also being celebrated. Jaishankar also launched a special logo for the occasion, which was selected through a competition.
Increasing cooperation in defense and AI
Talking about cooperation in the defense sector, Jaishankar said that the Made in India C-295 aircraft will be ready before September this year. Its factory in Vadodara was inaugurated in October 2024. Additionally, India will host the AI Impact Summit next month. India is in favor of correct and ethical use of AI, which matches the thinking of Europe.
Trade and culture are getting a boost
Spain is an important partner of India in terms of trade. There is a trade of more than 8 billion dollars between the two countries. Spanish companies are working in infrastructure and energy sector in India. At the same time, Indian companies are also active in Spain. Jaishankar also said the popularity of yoga, Ayurveda and Indian culture in Spain, and the growing interest in Spanish language and culture in India reflects the deep people-to-people ties between our societies.
