A Spanish-designed military aircraft now rolls off an assembly line in Vadodara, not Seville. It is one small sign of how far India and Spain have come, in a friendship marking its 70th year.
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International Relations · IntlRel0065
India – Spain Relations
70 years of diplomatic ties, marked by a 2026 Dual Year
1956
India and Spain establish diplomatic relations.
1965
India appoints its first resident Ambassador to Spain.
28-29 Oct 2024
President Pedro Sanchez visits India; both leaders declare 2026 the Year of India and Spain in Culture, Tourism and AI.
18-19 Feb 2026
Sanchez returns to India for the AI Impact Summit, meeting PM Modi at Hyderabad House.
13 Jul 2026
Piyush Goyal opens the Spain leg of his EU business tour, pushing trade, investment, and the India-EU FTA.
$9.9B
bilateral trade (2023)
230
Spanish companies in India
40
C-295 aircraft, made in India
70 years, one anniversary year
2026 is both the 70th year of India-Spain diplomatic ties and the “India-Spain Dual Year” — two visits by Spain’s President, a business delegation, and a shared AI agenda, all landing in the same 12 months.
Timeline
- 1956: India and Spain establish diplomatic relations.
- 1965: India appoints its first resident Ambassador to Spain, after both countries open embassies.
- 2017: Prime Minister Modi visits Spain.
- 28-29 October 2024: President Pedro Sanchez visits India, his first visit and the first by a Spanish head of government in 18 years. Both leaders declare 2026 the Year of India and Spain in Culture, Tourism and Artificial Intelligence.
- 18-19 February 2026: Sanchez returns to India for the AI Impact Summit, meeting PM Modi at Hyderabad House.
- 13 July 2026: Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal opens the Spain leg of a business tour, deepening trade and investment ties.
Must Know
- India and Spain established diplomatic relations in 1956. India appointed its first resident Ambassador to Spain in 1965.
- 2026 marks 70 years of India-Spain diplomatic relations. It is being marked as the India-Spain Dual Year of Culture, Tourism and Artificial Intelligence.
- President Pedro Sanchez visited India on 28-29 October 2024. This was the first visit by a Spanish head of government to India in 18 years.
- During that 2024 visit, Sanchez and PM Modi jointly inaugurated the Final Assembly Line Plant for the C-295 military transport aircraft at Vadodara. Airbus Spain and Tata Advanced Systems Ltd. co-produce the aircraft there.
- India-Spain bilateral trade reached US$9.9 billion in 2023. Spain is India’s 6th-largest trade partner in Europe.
- Spain is the 16th-largest investor in India, with a cumulative FDI stock of US$4.2 billion (April 2000-June 2024). About 230 Spanish companies operate in India.
Good to Know
- Under the C-295 programme, 40 aircraft are being manufactured in India. Airbus Spain is also delivering 16 aircraft in ready-to-fly condition, of which 6 had reached the Indian Air Force by October 2024.
- India opened its first Consulate General in Spain at Barcelona. Spain, in turn, agreed to open a Consulate General in Bengaluru.
- Both countries support each other’s UN Security Council ambitions. India backs Spain’s candidature for 2031-32, while Spain backs India’s for 2028-29.
- The two sides operate a Joint Commission for Economic Cooperation (JCEC), reviewing trade and investment ties. Its 12th session was held in 2023.
- Spain has been welcomed into India’s International Solar Alliance. India, in turn, has applied to join the Ibero-American Conference as an Associate Observer.
- Both countries reaffirmed support for advancing the long-pending India-EU Free Trade Agreement, alongside parallel talks on an Investment Protection Agreement and a Geographical Indications Agreement.
Test Yourself
Great to Know
- India-Spain ties sit inside a bigger picture too: the wider India-EU relationship. Both leaders used their 2024 summit to reaffirm the India-EU Free Trade Agreement talks. This shows how a bilateral visit can also advance India’s broader European strategy.
- Spain’s welcome into the International Solar Alliance reflects a familiar pattern in Indian diplomacy: turning a domestic-origin initiative into a global membership club.
- The C-295 plant at Vadodara is a rare case of a foreign-designed military aircraft’s assembly line moving to India outright, not just its parts. This makes it a useful example of “Make in India” applied to defence manufacturing specifically.
- Naming 2026 a joint “Culture, Tourism and AI” year is a deliberate mix. It pairs a soft-power, people-to-people theme with a hard-technology one, in the same 12-month framework.
Current Affairs
- 13-17 July 2026: Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal led a high-level Indian business delegation to Spain, Belgium, and Finland. In Spain, he held a Business Roundtable with the Chamber of Commerce of Spain, CEOE, and ICEX Spain Trade & Investment. It covered automotive, renewable energy, railways, AI, semiconductors, food processing, and tourism. (Source: PIB)
- 18-19 February 2026: President Pedro Sanchez made his second visit to India, attending the AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam. He also met PM Modi at Hyderabad House. A Conference of Vice-Chancellors of Indian universities and Rectors of Spanish universities was also held in New Delhi. (Source: MEA)
- Throughout 2026, both countries are marking the India-Spain Dual Year of Culture, Tourism and Artificial Intelligence, commemorating 70 years of diplomatic relations. Spain’s Foreign Minister has said both sides are working to upgrade the relationship to a full strategic partnership. (Source: PIB)
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