New Delhi: Droupadi Murmu said India and Spain should deepen cooperation across economic, multilateral and security platforms as Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares called on her at Rashtrapati Bhavan on January 21.
Welcoming Albares, the President said India–Spain relations stretched back centuries and were rooted in trade, culture and shared democratic values. She noted that 2026 marked 70 years of diplomatic ties, which both sides were celebrating as the India–Spain Dual Year of Culture, Tourism and Artificial Intelligence.
She said economic engagement between the two countries had expanded steadily, with rising trade and investment. According to the President, Spain’s capabilities in engineering, railways, renewable energy, urban services and defence aerospace aligned well with India’s development priorities. She added that the proposed India–EU free trade agreement would further strengthen bilateral commerce.
India Spain ties extend to multilateral and security cooperation
The President said India and Spain, as firm supporters of multilateralism, should work closely at forums such as the United Nations and the G-20 to advance shared goals of peace, prosperity and global stability.
She also underlined that both countries shared a common position on countering terrorism, describing it as a continuing threat to international peace. She said India and Spain must pool resources and capabilities to combat terrorism in all its forms.
Referring to India’s broader engagement with Europe, the President said relations with the European Union were growing steadily. She added that India looked forward to welcoming the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission as Chief Guests for the country’s 77th Republic Day celebrations.
