Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez Embraces India’s Digital Payments in Mumbai
On a visit to Mumbai, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez experienced India’s digital payment system firsthand by using the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) to purchase a Ganesh statue. This highlights the growing global acceptance of India’s digital payment systems, with UPI accounting for 80% of all digital payments in India and contributing to 46% of global digital transactions in 2023.
During his visit, Sanchez discussed enhancing cultural and academic exchanges between Spain and India. He announced plans for Spanish football coaches to visit India and expressed interest in promoting cricket in Spain. Sanchez also met with Indian film producers to explore joint collaborations in the film industry.
In a meeting with Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan, Sanchez expressed his desire to learn Hindi and discussed the celebration of 2026 as the Year of Culture, Tourism, and AI between the two countries. The Governor highlighted the growing popularity of football in India and the promotion of Spanish language in Maharashtra universities.
At a reception hosted by the Governor, Sundeep Waslekar, Chairman of the Strategic Foresight Group, presented his book ‘A World without War’ to Sanchez. The event was attended by several dignitaries, including Spain’s Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility Oscar Puente, Minister of Industry and Tourism Jordi Hereu, and Ambassador of Spain to India Juan Antonio March Pujol.
Doubts Revealed
Pedro Sanchez -: Pedro Sanchez is the Prime Minister of Spain, a country in Europe. He is like the leader of Spain, similar to how India has a Prime Minister.
Unified Payments Interface (UPI) -: UPI is a digital payment system in India that allows people to transfer money easily using their mobile phones. It’s like a magic wallet on your phone that helps you pay for things without using cash.
Ganesh statue -: A Ganesh statue is a small sculpture of Lord Ganesha, who is a popular Hindu god with an elephant head. People in India often buy these statues for worship or decoration.
Cultural and academic exchanges -: Cultural and academic exchanges are programs where people from different countries share their culture, knowledge, and skills. This helps people learn from each other and understand different ways of life.
Spanish football coaches -: Spanish football coaches are experts from Spain who teach and train people how to play football (soccer). They are like teachers for the sport and help players improve their skills.
Promoting cricket in Spain -: Promoting cricket in Spain means encouraging people in Spain to play and enjoy cricket, a popular sport in India. It’s like introducing a new game to people who might not know much about it.
Hindi -: Hindi is one of the main languages spoken in India. It’s like how people in Spain speak Spanish, people in India speak Hindi along with many other languages.
Indian film industry -: The Indian film industry, also known as Bollywood, is famous for making movies in India. It’s like Hollywood in the USA, but it makes films in Hindi and other Indian languages.
Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan -: CP Radhakrishnan is the Governor of Maharashtra, a state in India. A governor is like a caretaker of a state, helping to manage and oversee its affairs.
