Spain's Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares has handed over Spain's Declaration of Accession to India's Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in New Delhi earlier this week, marking Spain's formal entry into the India-led framework. Launched by India in 2019 under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the IPOI endorses seven pillars of cooperation, ranging from maritime security to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR).
Officials described the accession as validation of Delhi's vision for a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific, positioning New Delhi as the lead implementer and "Preferred Security Partner" through non-treaty-based, transparent cooperation.
India now counts more than 25 partners who trust its leadership in the region. As an Atlantic naval power, Spain brings expertise that will bolster operations in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), India's strategic backyard. This could include enhanced anti-piracy patrols with the Indian Navy, from the Andamans to Africa's coast, which have already reduced piracy incidents by around 80% and securing vital chokepoints such as the Strait of Hormuz and Bab-el-Mandeb.
The collaboration is expected to strengthen deterrence and collective maritime security without formal alliances. Future cooperation could involve joint training in anti-submarine warfare (ASW), exclusive economic zone (EEZ) surveillance, etc.
Development builds on existing India-Spain successes, such as the Airbus-Tata C-295 aircraft manufacturing project in India.
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During the meeting, the ministers also discussed recent developments in Europe and the Indo-Pacific, along with other shared interests. According to India's Ministry of External Affairs statement, both sides condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, emphasising the need to strengthen international cooperation to combat it.

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