"Must display zero tolerance towards terrorism": Jaishankar in bilateral meeting with Spanish FM Albares

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaikshankar on Wednesday emphasised the need for global cooperation against terrorism, stating that India and Spain are both victims of terrorism and the world must display zero tolerance for it.

He made these remarks during talks with Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares in Delhi, highlighting the importance of collaboration on shared challenges.

"The world order is clearly undergoing a profound change. It is more imperative than ever before for nations to collaborate on shared challenges. This is particularly the case with respect to combating terrorism, where both India and Spain have been victims. The world must display zero tolerance towards terrorism," said Jaishankar.

The EAM condoled the train accident in Cordoba, which left at least 40 people dead, and expressed condolences to the families of the victims.

"I would convey my sincere condolences to the families of the victims of the unfortunate train accident that took place on January 18 in Cordoba. We mourn the lives lost and pray for the early recovery of the injured," said Jaishankar.

The crash took place around 7:30 pm local time (1830 UTC) when the train jumped the track and hit another train travelling in the opposite direction. The trains involved were carrying about 300 people from Malaga to Madrid and about 200 from Madrid to Huelva.

He also highlighted the growing ties between the two nations with regular high-level exchanges and shared democratic values. Notably, 2026 marks the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. India and Spain are celebrating this milestone alongside the Dual Year of Culture, Tourism, and Artificial Intelligence.

"India and Spain enjoy warm and friendly relations, rooted in shared democratic values and respect for multilateralism and a rule-based order. Our political engagement has grown steadily, marked by regular high-level exchanges. India and Spain will celebrate this year, in 2026, the 70th anniversary of the establishment of our diplomatic relations, as well as the Dual Year of Culture, Tourism and Artificial Intelligence. This initiative reflects our shared commitment to combining our rich cultural heritage with future-oriented cooperation. I am delighted to have just launched jointly the logo for the Dual Year with you. The logo has been selected from over 1,900 entries received through an open competition. I would like to congratulate the teams for the effort and thank all the participants," said Jaishankar.

He also highlighted the country's human-centric approach to AI and its growing defence cooperation with Spain, including the production of Made-in-India C295 aircraft.

"India is hosting the AI Impact Summit next month. Our approach to AI is human-centric, inclusive, and focused on its responsible and ethical use. I think it is very similar to the approach of Europe. We are confident that the Dual Year will encourage greater institutional and industry-led collaboration. Airbus-Tata C-295 Final Assembly Line in Vadodara was jointly inaugurated by our leaders in October 2024. We are expecting the first "Made in India" C-295 aircraft to roll out of the factory before September this year. It reflects the growing depth of our defence industrial collaboration and our commitment to build resilient manufacturing capabilities," said Jaishankar.

He said that Spain is among India's top trade partners in the EU, with bilateral trade exceeding $8 billion. "Economic partnership is an important pillar of our relationship. Spain is among India's important trade partners in the EU, and our bilateral trade in goods has crossed USD 8 billion in recent years. Spanish companies have made a significant presence in India, particularly in infrastructure, renewable energy, urban mobility, engineering, water management, and smart cities. Indian companies are also active in Spain in IT, pharmaceuticals, and automotive components. We see considerable potential to further deepen this business cooperation," added Jaishankar.

Jaishankar also underscored the cultural ties between the two nations and said that Yoga, Ayurveda, and Indian culture are popular in Spain, while the Spanish language and culture are gaining interest in India.

"Our partnership is enriched by strong cultural ties. The popularity of Yoga, Ayurveda and Indian culture in Spain, and the growing interest in the Spanish language and culture in India, reflect the deep people-to-people connection between our societies. Tourism is also an important and growing pillar of our partnership. People-to-people links serve as a living bridge between India and Spain. We are committed to facilitating greater mobility, educational exchanges and institutional partnerships," he said.