Spanish PM Embraces India's Digital Payments in Cultural Exchange Visit

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez experienced India's digital payments via UPI during a Mumbai visit. His purchase, a token of cultural exchange, underscores India's dominance in global digital transactions. Sanchez emphasized enhanced inter-university and cultural collaborations, anticipating Spain-India collaborations in soccer, film, and language studies.

In a gesture highlighting the growing global acceptance of India's digital payment systems, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez utilized the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in Mumbai to purchase a Ganesh statue. This transaction exemplifies not just economic engagement, but a deepening cultural exchange between Spain and India.

India's digital economy continues to set global benchmarks, with UPI transactions accounting for 80% of digital payments domestically in 2023. The country marked over 100 billion transactions nationwide. Celebrating ties, Sanchez discussed bolstering inter-university collaborations and awaited Spain's football team's participation in upcoming matches in India.

During his visit, Sanchez engaged with Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan, emphasizing the 2026 Year of Culture, Tourism, and AI. The Prime Minister expressed interest in joint initiatives with India's film industry, the promotion of language studies, and enjoyed cultural dialogues, which included literary exchanges.

(With inputs from agencies.)