Spain is Right Country to Be Partner of India in Building Its Strategic Autonomy "Spanish Envoy"

The Spanish Ambassador to India, Jose Maria Ridao Dominguez, underscored on Wednesday that Spain stands as the ideal partner for India in its pursuit of strategic autonomy, emphasizing the absence of any contentious issues in their bilateral relations. Dominguez, attending the third edition of the Spain-India Forum in New Delhi alongside Juan Ignacio, Chairman of Spain-India Council Foundation, and Sanjay Verma, Ministry of External Affairs Secretary (West), expressed Spain transparency and commitment to fostering a collaborative relationship with India.

Highlighting the global significance of Spanish companies, Dominguez noted their substantial exports to countries such as Saudi Arabia, Australia, and the UK. He further disclosed Spain involvement in the defense industry, revealing an ongoing tender for six submarines for the Indian Navy. Dominguez emphasized Spain engagement in the defense sector, citing the participation of the Spanish company Navantia in the submarine tender, offering state-of-the-art technology. He emphasized that such collaboration goes beyond mere economic transactions, contributing to stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

During the Spain-India Forum, MEA Secretary Sanjay Verma projected the increasing presence of Indian youth in the international workforce, estimating that within a decade, every second or third youth out of ten globally would be Indian. Verma drew attention to the migration mobility agreement, advocating for Spain consideration in line with similar agreements signed with Portugal, the UK, Germany, Italy, and Austria. Despite acknowledging challenges, Verma expressed confidence in negotiating with Spain, especially given the country promotion of the Spanish language. He stressed the importance of recognizing that migration dynamics are complex and cannot be abruptly halted.