Latest news with #India-Brazil
News18
17-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
Brazil's Grand Gesture To India: Modi & Lula Set To Take Ties To New Level In Signal To China
Last Updated: From shared global goals, defence collaboration, biofuel cooperation to counterbalance to China, India & Brazil are on a trajectory that reflects the emerging voice of Global South As Prime Minister Narendra Modi gears up for a state dinner hosted by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the significance of the moment goes far beyond ceremonial grandeur. This dinner, alongside the BRICS summit in Brazil, is beyond just a diplomatic courtesy and should rather be seen as a carefully calibrated geopolitical signal. Brazil's Message According to diplomatic reports, the invitation to PM Modi may have even prompted Chinese President Xi Jinping to skip the summit for the first time, wary of appearing sidelined as India takes centre-stage in Latin America, especially in light of PM Modi's other visits to Argentina, and Trinidad and Tobago. The red carpet will be laid out for PM Modi, and Xi's presence would have risked looking like a 'supporting actor". Despite Brazil's insistence, Xi will be skipping the summit, a first in 12 years. But Brazil didn't flinch. Despite China's snub, President Lula went ahead with his invitation, standing firmly by his decision to host Modi for the state dinner. This is an indicator of the growing momentum behind India-Brazil ties, and the emerging architecture of South-South cooperation. Together, the two countries will be sending a loud message to China. Each photo op, each meeting, each toast raised during the state dinner carries symbolic weight. Brazil's refusal to recalibrate its plans in the face of Chinese displeasure signals two things: One, that India's influence in Latin America is rising. And two, that Brazil sees long-term value in strengthening its partnership with India—even if it ruffles feathers in Beijing. Modi and Lula: Building a Personal Equation The Modi-Lula dynamic has played a crucial role in this diplomatic moment. Since 2023, the two leaders have met four times, cementing a working relationship rooted in mutual respect and aligned global goals. During the G20 Summit in 2024, Lula told Modi that many aspects of Brazil's G20 presidency had been inspired by India's successful hosting the previous year. The remark was an honest acknowledgement of India's rising stature as a global agenda-setter and that Brazil, a prominent voice in Latin America, welcomes this phenomenon. Lula has also expressed solidarity with India on national security concerns. After the heinous terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, Lula reached out to PM Modi to express support in the fight against terrorism—a rare gesture of strategic alignment from a South American power. From Strangers to Friends Of course, India-Brazil ties haven't always been smooth. In 1961, Brazil sided with Portugal during India's liberation of Goa. In 2009, it sold anti-radiation missiles to Pakistan despite Indian protests. But such incidents are now distant echoes in an otherwise growing and maturing relationship. India-Brazil ties strengthened after Jair Bolsonaro became Brazil's President in 2018, as both countries shared scepticism toward China, especially its Belt and Road Initiative. Then came a pivotal moment. Bolsonaro visited India as the Republic Day chief guest in January 2020. Ahead of the visit, Brazil backed India on the Citizenship Amendment Act and the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status, calling them internal matters. Strategic Synergy in Defence Defence ties are ripe with promise and will be a major highlight of discussions between the two leaders. Brazil has shown keen interest in Indian-made defence platforms such as the Akash air defence system, which gained recognition after its deployment during Operation Sindoor when India repelled a coordinated drone and missile attack from Pakistan. India is also in discussions with Brazil over possible deals involving Garuda artillery guns, coastal surveillance systems, secure battlefield communications, offshore patrol vessels, and support for Scorpene-class submarine maintenance. Brazilian delegations have explored cooperation on BrahMos supersonic missiles and Akash air defence systems, showing how global instability is driving the demand for reliable, battle-tested defence solutions. This defence partnership has mutual benefits in order. On the aerospace front, Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer and India's Mahindra Defence have already signed an MoU to collaborate on the C-390 Millennium transport aircraft. Brazil is eyeing co-production and potential co-export opportunities with India, a move that could bolster both countries' defence manufacturing goals. As defence turns into a key element, the larger economic relationship is worth a review, as there is not just promising potential but progress underway. India and Brazil have developed a robust trade relationship, with bilateral trade reportedly surpassing $15 billion, weighted mildly in India's favour. Key Indian exports include petroleum products, pharmaceuticals, fertilisers, and engineering goods, while Brazil supplies crude oil and agricultural products such as sugar and soybeans. Despite the strong base, both sides acknowledge there's more potential to be tapped—especially in services, energy, and biofuels. As two of the world's leading producers of biofuels, India and Brazil are working closely under initiatives such as the Global Biofuel Alliance, launched during India's G20 presidency and supported by Brazil. Brazil's significance to India also lies in its natural resource wealth. As a critical supplier of crude oil, rare earths, and other minerals, with substantial production capacity, Brazil becomes an important partner for India. Moreover, Indian companies have a growing presence in Brazil, with total investment crossing $6 billion. Major players like Tata Motors, Glenmark, and Zydus Cadila operate in the country, catering to Brazil's large and diverse consumer market. In contrast, Brazilian investments in India are around $1 billion, with opportunities now opening up in sectors like defence, aviation, and green energy. Given Brazil's status as the seventh-largest economy (nominal GDP: $2.12 trillion) with a population of over 212 million, it's an attractive destination for Indian firms seeking Latin American expansion. Multilateral Alignment: G4, G20, BRICS, and Beyond India and Brazil are partners in several key multilateral platforms—G20, BRICS, WTO, and notably, the G4 grouping that includes Japan and Germany. Together, they advocate for UN Security Council reform and support each other's bid for a permanent seat, reflecting their aspirations for a more equitable global governance framework. Their shared commitment to multilateralism, climate responsibility, and democratised technology access sets them apart from bloc-based power politics that often stifle global consensus. This makes their partnership globally relevant. From shared global goals and defence collaboration to biofuel cooperation and strategic counterbalance to China, India and Brazil are on a trajectory that reflects ambition, mutual benefit and the emerging voice of the Global South. About the Author Shubhangi Sharma Shubhangi Sharma is News Editor - Special Projects at News18. She covers foreign affairs and geopolitics, and also keeps a close watch on the national pulse of India. tags : Brazil BRICS Summit China prime minister narendra modi view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: July 05, 2025, 11:28 IST News opinion Brazil's Grand Gesture To India: Modi & Lula Set To Take Ties To New Level In Signal To China Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. 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India.com
09-07-2025
- Business
- India.com
Modi Gets Brazil's Top Honour, But Loses Missile Deal To Italy – What Went Wrong?
New Delhi: Brazil has decided to step away from ongoing talks to acquire India's Akash air defense missile system. Once promising, the negotiations have now stalled. Officials in Brasilia are now focusing on Italy's Enhanced Modular Air Defence Solution (EMADS) instead, according to sources cited in a Deccan Herald report. The development came as Narendra Modi, on a historic state visit to Brazil, the first by an Indian prime minister in 57 years, held high-level discussions with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. The two leaders shook hands on ambitious goals, including pushing bilateral trade from $12.2 billion in 2024–25 to $20 billion by 2030. Despite agreeing to deepen defense and security ties, Brazil's government has apparently decided to pursue other missile systems. EMADS from Italy now appears to be Lula's preferred choice. Yet, the optics remained warm. After the meeting, Prime Minister Modi said, 'India and Brazil's growing defense cooperation reflects deep mutual trust. As two large democracies, our collaboration matters not just for the Global South, but for humanity.' He added, 'In a world passing through tension and uncertainty, the India-Brazil partnership is a pillar of stability and balance.' During the state ceremony, President Lula honoured PM Modi the Grand Collar of the National Order of the Southern Cross, Brazil's highest civilian award. He emphasised his commitment to building stronger industrial defense ties between the two nations. Brazil may have stepped away from the Akash missile system for now, but it still holds interest in other Indian defense products. Talks remain active over India's coastal surveillance system and the Garuda artillery gun. PM Modi highlighted that the two nations share a clear and uncompromising stance on global terrorism. 'India and Brazil stand united in this fight. Zero tolerance and zero double standards. We strongly oppose terrorism and those who support it,' he said. The shelved Akash deal may be a setback, but the broader relationship between Brazil and India continues to move forward – with defense still very much on the table, albeit on new terms.
India Gazette
09-07-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
Brazil's top honour reflects PM Modi's impactful global leadership: Rajnath Singh
New Delhi [India], July 9 (ANI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for being conferred with Brazil's highest national honour, 'The Grand Collar of the National Order of the Southern Cross.' He said that the recognition reflected PM Modi's impactful global leadership. 'Congratulations to PM Shri @narendramodiJi on being conferred with Brazil's highest civilian honour, the Grand Collar of the National Order of the Southern Cross,' Rajnath Singh said in a post on X. 'This prestigious recognition reflects his impactful global leadership and highlights the growing respect for India on the world stage. A proud and inspiring moment for our people,' he added. Earlier in the day, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also congratulated the Prime Minister. He called the award a proud moment for all Indians, describing it as a symbol of Bharat's growing global stature. 'Congratulations to Hon. PM Shri @narendramodiJi on being conferred with Brazil's highest national honour, 'The Grand Collar of the National Order of the Southern Cross',' Adityanath wrote in a post on X. He further added, 'This prestigious recognition reflects your visionary leadership and dedicated efforts in strengthening India-Brazil relations through trust, cooperation, and shared global goals. A proud moment for all Indians and a symbol of the growing global stature of Bharat.' Prime Minister Narendra Modi was awarded the highest civilian honour by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Tuesday. PM Modi, who was on a State Visit to Brazil after participating in the BRICS Summit, received a warm ceremonial welcome at the Alvorada Palace in Brazil on Tuesday. PM Modi and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva shared a hug as the President received the PM at Alvorada Palace in Brasilia, Brazil. He shared a unique moment of enjoying a harmonium performance alongside the Brazilian President, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. PM Modi enjoyed the Indian classical musical presentation, which used traditional instruments such as the Harmonium and Tabla, at his ceremonial welcome at Alvorada Palace in Brasilia. 'Broadening the horizons of the Strategic Partnership. PM @narendramodi warmly received by President @LulaOficial and First Lady @JanjaLula at the Alvorada Palace with a guard of honour & ceremonial welcome. Bilateral talks lie ahead,' posted Randhir Jaiswal, official spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs. During his visit, PM Modi also expressed that India and Brazil share a unified approach towards the global fight against terrorism, emphasising 'zero tolerance and zero double standards.' He further highlighted the growing defence cooperation between the two nations as a 'symbol of deep mutual trust.' (ANI)
NDTV
09-07-2025
- Business
- NDTV
"Want India-Brazil Ties To Be As Colourful As Carnival, Passionate As Football": PM Modi
Brasilia: India and Brazil on Tuesday set a target of nearly doubling the bilateral annual trade to USD 20 billion in the next five years and inked six agreements to expand cooperation in a range of sectors including energy and agriculture following talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. The two leaders also deliberated on combating terrorism, with Modi saying both sides were clear that there is no place for double standards on terrorism. "We have a similar thinking on the fight against terrorism -- zero tolerance and zero double standards. We are clear that there is no place for double standards on terrorism," the prime minister said in his media statement. "We strongly oppose terrorism and those who support terrorism," he added. The two sides inked six agreements, including a pact on combating international terrorism and transnational organised crime and another on the exchange and mutual protection of classified information. They also signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) on cooperation in renewable energy, sharing large-scale solutions for digital transformation, intellectual property, and agricultural research. PM Modi travelled to Brasilia on Monday evening after attending the two-day BRICS summit in this seaside Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro. "We want India-Brazil relations to be as colourful as carnival, as passionate as football, and as connecting hearts as samba, without long lines at the visa counter! In this spirit," PM Modi said. "We will make efforts to facilitate people-to-people contacts between the two countries, especially tourists, students, sportspersons and businessmen," he said. On various geopolitical developments, the prime minister said India-Brazil partnership is an important pillar of stability and balance and that both sides are unanimous that all disputes should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy. PM Modi said both sides discussed ways to enhance trade. "In today's discussions, we talked about strengthening cooperation in every field. We have set a target to take bilateral trade to USD 20 billion in the coming five years," he said. The current annual bilateral trade is around USD 13 billion. "Our cooperation in the field of energy is constantly growing. Environment and clean energy are the main priorities of both the countries," the prime minister said. "The agreement that has been made today to increase cooperation in this area will give new direction and momentum to our green goals. The prime minister said the growing India-Brazil cooperation in the field of defence is a symbol of "deep mutual trust" between the two sides. "We will continue our efforts to connect our defence industries." Both sides are also working together on the adoption of UPI (Unified Payments Interface) in Brazil, he said. "We will be happy to share India's successful experience in areas like digital public infrastructure and space with Brazil." "Our cooperation in artificial intelligence and supercomputers is growing. This is a proof of our common thinking of inclusive development and human-centric innovation," he said. The prime minister said the two sides are also boosting cooperation in the area of agriculture. "Now we will also work together on agricultural research and food processing. We are also increasing our win-win cooperation in the field of health. We emphasised on the expansion of Ayurveda and traditional medicine in Brazil," he said. PM Modi also referred to India-Brazil coordination at the global stage. "As two large democratic countries, our cooperation is relevant not only for the Global South, but for the entire humanity." "We believe that it is our moral obligation to raise the concerns and priorities of the Global South at global forums," he said. "Today, when the world is going through a period of tension and uncertainty, my friend explained in great detail," he added. In a post on 'X', PM Modi described his talks with Lula as "fruitful" and said that the Brazilian president has always been passionate about India-Brazil friendship. Tive conversas frutíferas com o presidente Lula, que sempre foi apaixonado pela amizade entre a Índia e o Brasil. As nossas conversas incluíram formas de aprofundar os laços comerciais e também diversificar o comércio bilateral. Ambos concordamos que há um enorme potencial para… — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 8, 2025 "Our talks included ways to deepen trade ties and also diversify bilateral trade. We both agree that there is immense scope for such linkages to thrive in the coming times," he said.
Time of India
09-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Modi's Samba Diplomacy, Football Talk and Strategic Deals: India, Brazil Set $20B Trade Goal
/ Jul 09, 2025, 11:05AM IST PM Narendra Modi's Brazil visit saw a major diplomatic and economic breakthrough as India and Brazil set a $20 billion trade target for the next five years. After talks with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, six major agreements were signed covering energy, agriculture, defence, digital payments, health, and AI. Modi called for India-Brazil ties to be 'as colourful as Carnival, as passionate as football, and as connecting as Samba.' Both leaders also emphasized global coordination, especially to voice the concerns of the Global South. From adopting India's UPI in Brazil, expanding Ayurveda, to pushing defence industry cooperation, the visit marks a leap in strategic partnership.#pmmodi #narendramodi #modiinbrazil #indiabrazilrelations #brics2025 #modilula #sambadiplomacy #indiaforeignpolicy #tradediplomacy #upiinbrazil #globalpartnerships #modilive #toi #toibharat #bharat #trending #breakingnews #indianews
