Modi and Lula vow stronger India-Brazil partnership, push Global South voice, boost trade to $20bn and deepen cooperation on minerals, defence and pharmaceuticals.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday underlined the strategic weight of India-Brazil ties, saying that when the two democracies act together, the voice of the Global South becomes “stronger and more confident” on the world stage.
Speaking at a joint press conference in New Delhi alongside Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Modi stressed that both nations share a commitment to reforming global institutions to better reflect contemporary realities.
“India and Brazil’s partnership on the global stage has been strong and influential,” Modi said. “As democratic nations, we will continue to advance the priorities and aspirations of the Global South. When India and Brazil work together, the voice of the Global South becomes stronger and more confident.”
The Prime Minister emphasised that both countries believe disputes must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy. He also reiterated a shared stance against terrorism, describing it and its supporters as “enemies of all humanity”.
Modi said New Delhi and Brasília are aligned on the need for reform of multilateral institutions to address emerging geopolitical, economic and security challenges. “We will continue to work together in this direction,” he added.
The talks covered a wide arc of cooperation, including food security, energy transition, defence and supply chains. Modi highlighted collaboration in climate-resilient agriculture, precision farming and biofertilisers as areas that could strengthen food security in both nations.
A key outcome was an agreement on critical minerals and rare earths, which the Prime Minister described as a major step towards building resilient supply chains. The move comes amid growing global competition over access to strategic resources vital for clean energy technologies and advanced manufacturing.
Defence ties are also “steadily growing”, Modi said, calling the partnership an example of “mutual trust and strategic alignment”. He pointed to strong potential in the health and pharmaceutical sectors, noting that India would work to increase the supply of affordable and quality medicines to Brazil.
Both leaders expressed ambition to expand economic engagement, with a target of bilateral trade surpassing 20 billion US dollars within the next five years. Lula arrived in India with a large delegation of senior Brazilian business leaders, who are expected to participate in a business forum aimed at boosting commercial links.
Earlier in the day, President Lula was accorded a ceremonial Guard of Honour at Rashtrapati Bhavan, where he was received by Modi and President Droupadi Murmu. He also paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat.
Lula’s state visit follows Modi’s trip to Brasília in July 2025 — the first by an Indian prime minister in more than five decades — marking a renewed push to elevate the India-Brazil strategic partnership at a time of shifting global alignments.
