Spain set to replace India ambassador Juan Antonio March amid row over greater spending on cultural events

The Spanish government is set to replace its ambassador to India, Juan Antonio March, amid a dispute over excessively costly cultural events organized without proper authorization from the foreign ministry, according to a media report. March assumed his role as the envoy to India in September 2024, and his impending replacement is anticipated within the next few weeks, according to Spanish digital daily newspaper The Objective, which cited its sources.

Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares has forwarded a request to Indian authorities for a formal understanding or agrément to appoint Alfredo Martínez Serrano, currently the envoy to Canada, as the new ambassador in New Delhi. Reports have surfaced that March was organizing concerts in Rajasthan, featuring renowned artists such as STEM Dance Kampni from Bengaluru and tenors Joan Laínez and Zhu Huiling, scheduled to coincide with his birthday.

These concerts were allegedly organized "without the approval of his superiors in Madrid." Consequently, Spanish authorities intervened and canceled these proposed cultural events.

Opposition lawmakers and the UGT, a prominent Spanish trade union, have pressured the ambassador's dismissal. The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office received a May report from a foreign ministry official, expressing concerns that certain details surrounding March "could have criminal relevance in the area of public procurement and the management of funds" if verified as true.

In a separate development, Zhu Huiling, a dual Chinese-German national, received €18,000 from the Spanish embassy in New Delhi for organizing concerts in New Delhi, Kathmandu, and Bhutan. These concerts were held in July, October, and October, respectively, when March presented his credentials as the ambassador. Earlier this year, The Objective revealed that the matter came to light after the Spanish embassy's cultural attaché submitted a report to Madrid detailing plans to raise funds for concerts in 2026 without notifying the foreign ministry.

The hiring of Zhu highlighted a discrepancy, as Spanish embassies are required to promote Spanish culture through local Spanish artists or performers with artistic connections to Spain.