NEW DELHI: The first ‘Made in India’ C-295 military aircraft is expected to roll out of a factory before September, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Wednesday as he underlined New Delhi’s commitment to build resilient manufacturing capabilities.
In his remarks at a meeting with Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares, Jaishankar asserted that the world must display “zero tolerance” towards terrorism.
“The world order is clearly undergoing a profound change. It is more imperative than ever before for nations to collaborate on shared challenges,” he said.
“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,” he added.
The external affairs minister also thanked Spain for its support for deeper India-EU ties across different domains and welcomed the European nation for joining India-backed Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI).
In his comments, the external affairs minister also highlighted growing trade and defence cooperation between India and Spain and mentioned the C-295 aircraft project.
In October 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Spanish President Sanchez inaugurated the C-295 final assembly line in Vadodara.
The IAF is getting 56 C-295 transport aircraft under a deal worth Rs 21,935 crore with Airbus Defence and Space. Forty of these aircraft will be built in India.
In his remarks, Jaishankar said the economic partnership between India and Spain is an important pillar of the overall relationship.
“Spain is among India’s important trade partners in the EU (European Union), and our bilateral trade in goods has crossed USD 8 billion in recent years.” Jaishankar said Spanish companies have made a significant presence in India, particularly in infrastructure, renewable energy, urban mobility, engineering and water management sectors.
“Indian companies are also active in Spain in IT, pharmaceuticals, and automotive components. We see considerable potential to further deepen this business cooperation,” he said.
“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,” he said.
The external affairs minister also made a mention of India 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,” he said.
Jaishankar said India and Spain enjoy warm and friendly relations, rooted in shared democratic values and respect for multilateralism and a rule-based order.
India and Spain will celebrate in 2026 the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.
“Our partnership is enriched by strong cultural ties. The popularity of Yoga, Ayurveda and Indian culture in Spain, and the growing interest in Spanish language and culture in India, reflect the deep people-to-people connect between our societies,” Jaishankar said.
Tourism is also an important and growing pillar of our partnership, he said.
Jaishankar also unveiled a logo to commemorate 2026 as India-Spain “Dual Year” in the fields of culture and tourism.
The logo has been selected from over 1,900 entries received through an open competition. (PTI)
