SYLLABUS

GS-2: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests

Context: Recently, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva paid a State Visit to India at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

More on the News

• It was the Brazilian President’s fifth visit to India and second State Visit, following PM Modi’s visit to Brazil in July 2025.

• During the visit, the Brazilian President attended the AI Impact Summit and addressed the India–Brazil Economic Forum in New Delhi, where he described India as a “democratic brother of the Global South.” 

• The visit reaffirmed the India–Brazil Strategic Partnership (2006) and deepened cooperation across political, economic, digital, and multilateral domains.

Key Highlights of the Visit

• Trade and Economic Cooperation: The Brazilian President has set an ambitious target of $30 billion in bilateral trade, surpassing India’s earlier goal of $20 billion for 2030. 

• The leaders also discussed expanding the India–MERCOSUR Preferential Trade Agreement, reducing trade barriers, and strengthening investment flows. 

• Digital, AI and Innovation Partnership: The visit marked a major push in digital cooperation, including a Joint Declaration on Digital Partnership for the Future. 

• They also launched initiatives like the Open Planetary Intelligence Network (OPIN) linking digital and climate transitions.

• Health, Pharma and Traditional Medicine: The countries agreed to expand collaboration in:

• Joint production of medicines and vaccines
• Affordable healthcare for the Global South
• Regulatory cooperation between agencies.
• They also promoted traditional medicine systems such as Ayurveda and Yoga and cooperation on rare and socially determined diseases.

• Defence, Security and Strategic Cooperation: Both sides agreed to deepen defence cooperation through co-development and co-production, including submarine maintenance and industry partnerships. 

• They expanded cooperation in cybersecurity, space technology, and maritime security, while strongly condemning terrorism and supporting joint counter-terror efforts.

• Energy, Climate and Critical Minerals: The leaders committed to cooperation in energy transition and climate action, including biofuels, hydrogen, renewables, and sustainable fuels. 

• They supported outcomes of COP30 in Brazil and agreed to collaborate on rare earths and critical minerals, strengthening clean energy supply chains. 
• Cooperation in global initiatives like ISA, CDRI, and Global Biofuels Alliance was also highlighted.

• People-to-People and Cultural Diplomacy: Both countries extended tourist and business visas to 10 years and expanded cooperation in education, tourism, sports, cinema, and youth exchanges.

• Multilateral Cooperation: India and Brazil reiterated support for reformed multilateralism and stronger Global South representation in global institutions. 

• The Brazilian President also backed India’s UNSC non-permanent seat bid (2028–29) and supported India’s upcoming BRICS Presidency 2026.

India and Brazil Bilateral Relations

Significance of Brazil for India

• Key Economic and Trade Partner: Brazil is India’s largest trading partner in Latin America and the Caribbean, with bilateral trade of around USD 15 billion.

• Strategic Resource Partner: Brazil possesses critical minerals such as niobium, lithium, and iron ore that are essential for energy transition, electric vehicles and batteries, and advanced manufacturing, helping India diversify supply chains and reduce resource dependency.

• South–South and Multilateral Alignment: As major developing economies, India and Brazil cooperate in BRICS, IBSA Dialogue Forum, G20, and WTO to promote South–South cooperation, equitable global governance, and intellectual property balance.

• Response to U.S. Trade Pressures: Both countries have faced 50% U.S. tariffs and potential further trade actions and share concerns over trade unilateralism, energy policies, sanctions, and tariffs, making coordination necessary for effective negotiation with the U.S.

• Geopolitical Significance: The engagement occurred amid U.S. trade turmoil, BRICS tensions, and supply chain realignments, reinforcing India–Brazil alignment in strategic autonomy and non-aligned diplomacy.

Sources:
News On Air
MEA
The Hindu
Indian Express