Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], October 29 (ANI): Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Tuesday had firsthand experience of India’s digital payment transactions when he used the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transaction to buy a Ganesh statue in Mumbai..
Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs Randhir Jaiswal on Tuesday said that Digital pathways are fast connecting India-Spain technological partnership.
In a post on X, he said, “Experiencing India’s digital revolution first hand. President Pedro Sanchez made payment through Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in Mumbai today, witnessing its real-time and seamless transaction value. Digital pathways are fast connecting India-Spain technological partnership.”
Experiencing 🇮🇳’s digital revolution first hand.
President @sanchezcastejon made payment through Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in Mumbai today, witnessing its real-time and seamless transaction value.
Digital pathways are fast connecting 🇮🇳-🇪🇸 technological partnership. pic.twitter.com/5zmYalvYYi
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) October 29, 2024
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s usage of UPI to make a payment highlights the growing acceptance of India’s digital payment systems and cultural exchange between nations.
UPI transfers funds from one account to another through digital devices like mobile phones, POS terminals, or computers. In 2023, India accounted for 46 per cent of all digital payments in the world and UPI transactions now account for 80 per cent of all digital payments in India. It witnessed over 100 billion digital transactions occurring nationwide.
Sanchez also spoke of improving inter-university collaboration and cultural exchanges between Spain and India and assured that the Spanish team will participate in soccer matches in India soon, an official statement said.
Sanchez, accompanied by his spouse Begona Gomez spoke to Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan during a reception hosted by the latter at Raj Bhavan Mumbai on Wednesday, as per the statement.
Sanchez said Spain and India are celebrating 2026 as the Year of Culture, Tourism and AI. He said Spain will send football coaches to India while India can promote cricket in his country, as per the statement.
Sanchez, who is officially described as the President of the Government of Spain, told Radhakrishnan that he had read the Spanish translation of Rabindranath Tagore’s ‘Gitanjali’. (ANI)
