Catalonia deepens India push, targets New Opportunities in AI, deeptech, and semiconductors

Catalonia's Minister for Business and Labour, Miquel Sàmper Rodríguez, is currently in India to enhance the economic ties between the two regions and explore new opportunities in fields like artificial intelligence, deeptech, healthcare, semiconductors, space technology, energy, and advanced manufacturing. Catalonia, as one of Spain's major economic drivers and a leading European center for industry, technology, and innovation, boasts a €334.8 billion economy in 2025.

This visit, organized by Catalonia Trade & Investment and ACCIÓ, highlights Catalonia's commitment to strengthening trade, investment, and business relationships with India.

In the past decade, exports between Catalonia and India have more than doubled, with Catalan exports to India reaching €652 million in 2025. Both countries boast a strong two-way corporate presence, with 166 companies from each nation operating in both markets. To further strengthen their relationship, Catalonia Trade & Investment is opening a new office in New Delhi this year, complementing its existing presence in Mumbai and its 30-year history in India.

Minister Rodríguez emphasized that, while strong business ties already exist, there is room for more practical connections between companies, startups, research institutions, and innovation ecosystems. He also highlighted cooperation with Nasscom (the National Association of Software and Services Companies) as an important step forward, particularly in AI, deeptech, semiconductors, healthtech, energytech, and spacetech.

The minister will engage with key government and industrial stakeholders, including Delhi's Minister of Industries, Food & Supplies and Environment, Forest & Wildlife, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, and leaders from industry associations like FICCI and NASSCOM. Discussions will focus on expanding economic cooperation, trade, and investment, especially in complementary sectors.

Barcelona has become a global technology hub, ranking third globally in AI investments, according to IBM's Global Location Trends 2025, followed by London and Singapore. Healthcare and life sciences also present significant potential, with Catalonia being the fourth region worldwide and the leading European region for attracting foreign technology investment in digital health.

Kalyan Kumar, President of HCL Software, stressed that sovereignty is about choice, not isolation. Catalonia's expertise in cybersecurity, AI, and deeptech, coupled with its status as one of Europe's largest ICT hubs, positions it as a leader in the shift towards secure, sovereign, and scalable digital solutions. Kumar expressed enthusiasm about hosting Minister Rodríguez and the Catalonia delegation at HCLTech.