India to be theme country at 2025 Madrid International Book Fair: Envoy

India will be invited as the focal country at the Madrid International Book Fair in 2025, the Ambassador of Spain to the country Jose Maria Ridao said on Tuesday.

Spain is the theme country at the 46th International Kolkata Book Fair here, which began on Monday.

Ridao, who was present at the Spain Pavilion', said, "We want to have a direct relation with Indian authors, which will begin from this book fair in a bigger way.

"We are inviting India as the theme country at the Madrid International Book Fair in 2025. It is usually for publishers only. But, we can expand the horizon, to include cinema and music as well," he told PTI.

There are over 100 events lined up at the pavilion, the envoy said.

He said as part of the cultural exchange between the two countries, Spain has donated books to five universities in Bengal on Tuesday, where the Spanish language is taught.

Works of Spanish authors are also being published by leading Indian publishing houses, Ridao said.

"We are happy that people are learning, reading and professing love for the Spanish language in this state and in India," he said.

The envoy also said editions of the prestigious Jaipur Literary Festival will be held in Madrid and another Spanish town later this year.

"Jaipur Literary Festival had its editions held in the UK and US, but this is for the first time it is being celebrated in a non-English speaking country. There are several Indian authors and musicians who are popular in Spain," Ridao said.

Asked about the shared passion for football between Spain and Bengal, he said, "We support some foundations in India. Our first division clubs are visiting New Delhi to promote football. We have people working on this.

He added that a football dictionary of Spanish to Bengali will be launched at the Kolkata Book Fair, containing terms and phrases used in the Spanish league.