<h6 class="p1"><strong>J.D.L.</strong></h6> <h4><strong>Spain and India are going through an excellent moment in their bilateral relations, according to Ambassador Dinesh K. Patnaik and the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Diego Martínez Belío, during the reception held last Friday to commemorate the 76th Republic Day of the largest democracy in the world.</strong></h4> After stressing that “this <strong>last year has been very important for my country in many aspects</strong>” -among others the arrival of the first space mission to the Moon and the confirmation of India as the most populated country in the world- Ambassador Patnaik was very optimistic about the future between the two countries I am very optimistic. Discuss with the Spanish government. At the bilateral level, the ambassador pointed out that there have also been notable advances, especially in the last year, when the <strong>Spanish Prime Minister visited India in October last year</strong>, and the Indian Foreign Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, visited Spain on January 14. For his part, the <strong>State Secretary for Foreign and Global Affairs, Diego Martínez Belío</strong>, expressed his satisfaction for “being here today on one of India's two national holidays to celebrate the excellent state of relations that unite our two countries”. He abounded in the visit of Pedro Sánchez to India because “it was the first in 18 years” as well as in the speech delivered by Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar at the Conference of Ambassadors of Spain, in what was also “the first time that a foreign minister addressed this forum” and in which “he outlined the lines of international policy in recent years and the prospects that we have” both countries. Martínez Belío assured that “<strong>we have laid the foundations to continue deepening our relations in areas as diverse as customs cooperation</strong> and the creation of an investment fast-track”, in addition to “continuing to strengthen those 10,000 million euros referred to by the ambassador of commercial investments” and to advance in sectors such as rail transport, cultural exchanges, sustainable urban development and cooperation in the field of sports. The State Secretary also referred to the Dual Year of Culture, Tourism and Artificial Intelligence - to take place in 2025 - as “a particularly important milestone” to which he invited ideas, as he considered these to be “three sectors in which both India and Spain have a lot to offer and a lot to cooperate on,” starting with the film industry. “One of our priorities in the coming years,” he added, ”will be to increase cultural and linguistic exchanges between our countries to respond with attractive actions to the growing demand of so many young Indians who want to learn Spanish and visit Spain.” [caption id="attachment_106680" align="alignnone" width="750"]<img class="wp-image-106680 size-full" src="https://thediplomatinspain.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Diego-Martinez-Belio-ok.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="429" /> Diego Martínez Belío, State Secretary for Foreign and Global Affairs.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_106682" align="alignnone" width="750"]<img class="wp-image-106682 size-full" src="https://thediplomatinspain.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Australia-Ecuador-y-Costa-Rica.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="422" /> The ambassadors of Australia, Ecuador and Costa Rica with the husbands of the latter two.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_106684" align="alignnone" width="750"]<img class="wp-image-106684 size-full" src="https://thediplomatinspain.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Macedonia-Montenegro-Serbia-y-Azerbaiyan-ok.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="429" /> The Heads of Mission of North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Azerbaijan, together with the wife of the Azerbaijani Ambassador.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_106686" align="alignnone" width="750"]<img class="wp-image-106686 size-full" src="https://thediplomatinspain.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Mozambique-Emiratos-y-Afganistan-ok.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="422" /> From left to right, the ambassadors of Mali, Yemen and Afghanistan.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_106688" align="alignnone" width="750"]<img class="wp-image-106688 size-full" src="https://thediplomatinspain.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Tailandia-Casa-Asia-ok.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="428" /> The ambassador of Thailand and his wife with the director of Casa Asia Center-Madrid, Emilio de Miguel.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_106690" align="alignnone" width="750"]<img class="wp-image-106690 size-full" src="https://thediplomatinspain.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/FUE-ok.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="422" /> Francisca Morán (left) and Elena Díaz, Projects, deputy director of the University-Business Foundation.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_106692" align="alignnone" width="750"]<img class="wp-image-106692 size-full" src="https://thediplomatinspain.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Musicos-ok-1.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="422" /> The Indian reception was enlivened by music throughout.[/caption]
