Pabitra Margherita Represents India at Ibero-American Summit in Spain

Pabitra Margherita, Minister of State for External Affairs, and Textiles [MoS (PM)], is on an official visit to the Kingdom of Spain from 3-5 November 2026. During the visit, the minister participated in the 30th Summit of the Ibero-American Conference being hosted by Spain. India is joining the Conference as an Associate Observer.

The Ibero-American Summits are among the most important political forums and currently consists of 22 member countries – 19 from Latin America and three from Europe (Spain, Portugal and Andorra), 12 Associate Observers and 20 Consultative Observers.

Addressing the Ministerial Dialogue with Associate and Consultative Observers hosted by Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares, the minister conveyed India’s gratitude to the Latin American community for welcoming the country as an Associate Observer and reaffirmed New Delhi’s commitment to deeper engagement with the region.

During his engagements in Madrid, Pabitra Margherita paid floral tributes to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi and held discussions with representatives from Spain’s textile and tourism sectors.

The interactions focused on expanding India-Spain cooperation in areas such as textile trade, sourcing, manufacturing, sustainable textiles, investment, and tourism, while underscoring the importance of strengthening people-to-people ties.

Pabitra Margherita also met Noemí Espinoza Madrid, Secretary General of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), to discuss India’s engagement with the Global South, particularly the Greater Caribbean region.

The visit of Pabitra Margherita marks an important milestone in the ongoing celebrations of the India-Spain Dual Year of Culture, Tourism and Artificial Intelligence. Margherita also undertook bilateral meetings with key counterparts on the sidelines of the Summit, and engaged with the Indian community in Madrid.

The Heads of State and Government meet regularly with the aim of strengthening collaboration, addressing common challenges and promoting sustainable development in the region. The main objectives of the Ibero-American General Secretariat are to strengthen the Ibero-American Community and ensure its international projection, and to promote historical, cultural, social and economic ties between Ibero-American countries.