Spanish is now the third most popular foreign language in secondary and university education in India

The Diplomat Spanish is now spoken by over 43,000 students in India and is the third most popular foreign language in secondary and university education, according to a survey conducted by the Global Observatory of Spanish in Indian Universities in collaboration with the Cervantes Institute in New Delhi. According to data from the Cervantes Institute Yearbook, India has a total of 54,670 potential Spanish speakers. This figure is divided into two groups: 11,208 people who make up the established Spanish-speaking community (including native speakers and those with limited proficiency) and, "most strikingly," a total of 43,462 learners of the language. This was announced last Wednesday by Francisco Moreno Fernández, director of the Global Observatory of Spanish, during the celebration at the Cervantes Institute of the Spain-India Dual Year 2026, commemorating the 70th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations. According to the study, Spanish is primarily studied as a foreign language in both secondary and university education. Furthermore, Spanish is currently the third most studied foreign language in India, surpassed only by French and German, given that English is not considered a foreign language in the Indian subcontinent. In secondary education, language learning is framed within the three-language policy, which promotes multilingualism in the education system. Spanish is offered as an elective subject within the modern languages curriculum, generally in the later years of schooling. In this context, the presence of Spanish is still limited and concentrated mainly in private schools, international schools, or institutions linked to foreign education systems. However, it is at the university level where the study of Spanish expands further thanks to the more structured programs offered by various institutions, ranging from beginner language courses to full degrees in Hispanic studies. “At this level, learning is not limited solely to the language, but also incorporates literature, culture, and, in some cases, translation and linguistics,” added the director of the Global Observatory of Spanish. The increased interest in Spanish in the Asian country is also impacting the Cervantes Institute center in New Delhi. In the 2024/25 academic year, enrollment reached 7,047, compared to 6,828 students the previous academic year. Furthermore, the number of DELE Spanish diplomas awarded at this center has already exceeded 1,800. The Cervantes Institute in New Delhi has reached collaboration agreements with other centers in the country, such as Hispanic Horizons and Woodstock School, and has signed agreements with universities, such as Hindu College and Doon University. First direct Hindi translation of Don Quixote Furthermore, and also within the framework of the Spain-India Dual Year 2026, the Cervantes Institute's Vault of Letters received the legacy of Indian Hispanist Vibha Maurya, the first translator of Don Quixote into Hindi from the original work, who deposited this very book. The event was attended by the director of the Cervantes Institute, Luis García Montero, the director of the Cervantes Institute in New Delhi, María Gil Bürmann, and the honoree herself. “We pay tribute to the person who has opened the door to Miguel de Cervantes for millions of Hindi speakers,” said García Montero, who recalled that the Hispanist “translated with the fidelity and sensitivity of someone who knows Cervantes from within, with rigorous research.” “Translating this work was a very personal and courageous decision and undertaking that has become filled with collective significance for us,” he added. Box number 1446 has received Maurya's Hindi edition of Don Quixote, with the first part translated in 2005 and the second a decade later. The author explained how she embarked on this project, which was a "decisive and transformative" moment in her professional career. "The process of translating Cervantes' work fostered a relationship that was both intimate and intimidating. I did it alone at my desk, without anyone's help," she affirmed. According to Vibha Maurya, a first Hindi translation of Don Quixote already existed, in this case of the English version (which has also been added to the box). "I felt a deep respect for this work, but when I leafed through it, it seemed to me that it demanded much more," she explained.

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