Brazil is actively working to deepen its strategic partnership with India, focusing on defense collaboration and broader bilateral ties. This initiative follows Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Brasília in July and comes amid rising U.S. tariffs impacting both India and Brazil. As part of this effort to enhance bilateral cooperation, high-level Brazilian officials, including the National Security Adviser (NSA) and Vice President, are visiting India.

Brazil’s NSA, Celso Amorim, is scheduled to visit India by early October to meet his counterpart, Ajit Doval, to discuss defense industry collaboration, particularly focusing on supply chains. Brazil aims to be a reliable defense hardware supplier, with Brazilian firms already establishing a presence in India. Two Brazilian defense firms, Taurus (small arms) and CBC (ammunition), have set up operations in India, and joint ventures are in the pipeline. There is also potential for collaboration concerning Scorpene submarines and Embraer aircraft.

Following Amorim’s visit, Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin will travel to India in October to attend the Trade Monitoring Mechanism meeting. Accompanied by ministers and business representatives, Alckmin’s visit aims to promote cooperation in trade, defense, energy, critical minerals, health, and digital inclusion. Brazil is particularly interested in learning from India’s digital public infrastructure, given the similarities in opportunities and challenges faced by both nations.

These visits are part of a broader strategy to strengthen ties between Brazil and India, with both countries setting a goal to increase bilateral trade to over USD 20 billion by 2030. The expansion of the MERCOSUR-India agreement and the establishment of a Brazilian trade promotion office in India are also steps being taken to enhance economic collaboration.

In summary, Brazil’s high-level visits to India underscore a commitment to expanding strategic partnerships across various sectors, including defense, trade, and digital infrastructure, aiming to foster mutual growth and cooperation between the two nations.