29 Jan : Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has confirmed an official visit to India in February, reinforcing the growing strategic convergence between New Delhi and Brasília.
Lula announced the plan through a post on X, stating that he also held a telephone conversation with US President Donald Trump.
Both leaders agreed to meet in Washington after Lula completes his visits to India and South Korea. They will finalise the dates soon.
The confirmation follows recent high-level engagement between India and Brazil. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with President Lula by phone.
Both leaders reiterated their resolve to further deepen the India-Brazil Strategic Partnership and elevate cooperation in the coming year.
India’s External Affairs Ministry said the leaders reviewed substantial progress across key sectors.
These include trade and investment, technology, defence, energy, health, agriculture, and people-to-people exchanges.
They also discussed regional and global developments and stressed the need for reformed multilateral institutions to address shared international challenges.
Prime Minister Modi conveyed his eagerness to welcome President Lula to India at an early date.
PM Modi visited Brazil in July last year. During that visit, both leaders held detailed discussions on expanding cooperation in trade and investment, defence and security, health and pharmaceuticals, space, renewable energy, agriculture, food processing, energy security, and infrastructure.
They also explored collaboration in digital public infrastructure, UPI, traditional medicine, yoga, sports, culture, and wider societal exchanges.
Trade emerged as a central focus. The two sides agreed to strengthen bilateral commerce and work towards expanding the India-MERCOSUR Preferential Trade Agreement.
They jointly set an ambitious target of raising bilateral trade to USD 20 billion within the next five years.
Energy cooperation also featured prominently. Both leaders agreed to explore fresh investment opportunities, citing vast potential in hydrocarbons and renewable energy sectors in both countries.
They further identified new collaboration areas, including critical minerals, emerging technologies, artificial intelligence, supercomputers, digital innovation, and skilled mobility.
Prime Minister Modi also thanked Brazil for its solidarity and support following the terrorist attack in Pahalgam in April 2025.
Lula’s upcoming visit now signals a renewed political push to translate shared priorities into concrete outcomes.
