Margherita meets Albares to strengthen bilateral ties

Madrid Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita met Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares in Madrid, discussing ways to strengthen relations between India and Spain. The meeting took place alongside the 30th Summit of the Ibero-American Conference, as India joined the grouping as an Associate Observer. In a message posted on X on Friday, Margherita welcomed the reception from Albares and expressed interest in building closer links with the wider Ibero-American community. The conference brings together 22 member countries, including 19 from Latin America and three European nations: Spain, Portugal and Andorra. It also has 12 Associate Observers and 20 Consultative Observers. Margherita held talks with his Colombian and Bolivian counterparts during the visit. On Thursday, he met Colombia’s Foreign Minister Omar Bula Escobar. Their discussions covered trade, education, health, culture and cooperation in international forums. His meeting with Bolivia’s Foreign Minister Hector Francisco Huanca focused on stronger bilateral cooperation, alongside regional and global matters of shared interest. The Indian Embassy in Spain said the exchanges also explored opportunities for closer engagement through the Ibero-American Conference. Earlier, on Wednesday, Margherita addressed a ministerial dialogue involving Associate and Consultative Observers, hosted by Albares. He thanked the Latin American community for supporting India’s inclusion in the grouping. India’s observer role creates another channel for dialogue with countries across the region, while the meetings allowed Margherita to discuss areas of cooperation with individual partners. The Madrid engagements placed bilateral relations and wider regional outreach on the same diplomatic agenda. Margherita’s stated aim was to build on India’s new role by strengthening its connections with the Ibero-American community through continued dialogue and cooperation.