 |
| Cantabria entering Sydney Harbour in October 2013 (Image: Wiki) |
Spain with a major defence technology profile particularly in the naval industry is expanding cooperation with India looking at possibilities in all the three maritime, air and land dimensions in that order. The occasion of ESPS Cantabria docking in Goa on its return trip from deployment in Australia in 2013 is being used by the Embassy of Spain in New Delhi to launch its public profile in the Indian defence and security media space. The ESPS "Cantabria" has been deployed in Australia for one year, and on its journey back to Spain, will make a stop in the Mormugao Port, Vasco da Gama, Goa, on the 27th November 2013.
Spain has also enhanced the defence attaché office in the country with a Defence/Navy, Army and Air Attache now posted in the embassy in Delhi, that is far more than many other European countries indicating the seriousness with which the Spanish government is looking at expanding defence relations with India.
The Spanish are also pragmatic and do not envisage breakthroughs to come very quickly but are willing to wait out demonstrating the patience required to stay afloat in the Indian defence market.
The push for Spanish defence cooperation is spearheaded by Ambassador Mr Gustavo Manuel de Arístegui y San Romá himself who in a tete a tete with defence strategic community leaders and media outlined aims and objectives of the country’s engagement in the years ahead on 13 November. Aristegui is a diplomat with a political career behind him and is thus able to push the Spanish government on expanding engagement with India.
Spanish companies as Navantia and Indra have a strong technology profile and are expecting to make a mark in the Indian defence industry which is undergoing transformation welcoming collaboration.
This Article first appeared on Security Risks and is reposted here under a Creative Commons license.