New Delhi – In a landmark State Visit, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva met in Brasília to reaffirm and elevate the long-standing partnership between two of the largest democracies in the Global South. The meeting, held at the Alvorada Palace, was marked by a colorful ceremonial welcome and fruitful bilateral engagements across political, economic, security, and cultural dimensions.
With nearly eight decades of diplomatic ties, India and Brazil reasserted their commitment to mutual progress, global peace, and sustainable development. Their discussions yielded a strategic roadmap grounded in five key pillars: defence and security, food and nutritional security, energy transition and climate change, digital transformation and emerging technologies, and industrial partnerships in strategic sectors.
A central highlight of the visit was the growing defence cooperation, underlined by the signing of the Agreement on the Exchange and Mutual Protection of Classified Information and a new counter-terrorism pact. The leaders also launched a Bilateral Cybersecurity Dialogue to deepen collaboration in tackling cyber threats.
Brazil’s strong condemnation of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam earlier this year and its unwavering support for India underscored the two nations’ shared stance on zero tolerance for terrorism. Both leaders called for action against UN-designated terrorist groups, reaffirming their commitment to counter extremism and disrupt terror financing.
With both nations being major global food producers, the leaders emphasized collaboration in sustainable agriculture and rural development. They agreed to increase bilateral cooperation in agri-tech, biotechnology, and agricultural trade, while defending fair and open agricultural markets free from protectionist barriers.
An MoU between India’s ICAR and Brazil’s EMBRAPA will drive joint agricultural research. Both sides also backed the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, reinforcing their commitment to eradicate hunger by 2030.
Energy was a major focus, with India and Brazil pledging to work jointly on clean and inclusive energy transitions. The leaders reaffirmed support for the Global Biofuels Alliance and committed to advancing technologies like Sustainable Aviation Fuel.
India welcomed Brazil’s Tropical Forests Forever Fund initiative, while both sides pledged support for COP30 in Belém. They emphasized international financing for climate action and reiterated their shared vision of a just, technology-neutral approach to decarbonization.
India’ expertise in digital public infrastructure (DPI) and Brazil’s growing tech ambitions found synergy as both nations signed an MoU on digital cooperation. The partnership aims to foster innovation, capacity-building, and joint pilot projects in AI, quantum technologies, and public service delivery.
With India set to host the next Global AI Summit in 2026, Brazil expressed strong support, while both sides agreed to push for fair and responsible AI governance in global forums.
In a bid to deepen economic relations, both countries announced the establishment of a Ministerial mechanism to monitor trade and investment. They committed to raising bilateral trade to \$20 billion over the next five years.
Indian pharmaceutical companies expanding in Brazil were welcomed, and joint R\&D in neglected diseases was encouraged. The two nations also identified mutual interests in mining, oil and gas, critical minerals, and aviation, with calls for enhanced industry-to-industry collaboration.
Modi and Lula renewed calls for urgent reforms of global governance institutions, including the UN Security Council, emphasizing representation for underrepresented regions like Latin America, Africa, and Asia. They also expressed support for each other’s bids for permanent UNSC membership.
On global conflicts, both leaders underscored diplomacy as the only path to peace. They called for de-escalation in the Middle East, a two-state solution in Palestine, and peaceful resolution to the Ukraine crisis.
Beyond economics and geopolitics, the visit underscored the human connection between India and Brazil. New cultural and sports agreements are in the pipeline, and both leaders called for the renewal of the Cultural Exchange Programme for 2025–2029. They also highlighted bilateral educational exchange programs and academic partnerships.
India and Brazil agreed to enhance visa facilitation and people-to-people mobility, encouraging tourism, business, and student exchange.
The joint statement aptly titled “Two Great Nations with Higher Purposes” reflected the broader vision of India and Brazil to act as architects of a fairer, more sustainable world. Their shared values of democracy, pluralism, and solidarity with the Global South were at the heart of the visit.
Modi thanked President Lula for the gracious hospitality and extended an invitation to visit India, which Lula gladly accepted. With a renewed spirit of cooperation and strategic clarity, the India-Brazil partnership now stands poised to shape global conversations—from climate to commerce, and from security to social justice.
