Action Plan to Strengthen the Strategic Partnership between Brazil and India – January 25, 2020

The Government of the Republic of India

and

The Government of the Federative Republic of Brazil,

CONSIDERING:

The solid bonds of friendship that unite India and Brazil, as they prepare to celebrate 75 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2023;

The common values shared by India and Brazil as two large democracies and pluralistic societies; andThe establishment, in 2002, of the India-Brazil Joint Commission on Political, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (hereinafter referred to as the "Joint Commission”), chaired by the respective Ministers of Foreign Affairs, and the decisions taken within its framework during the seven occasions it met;

DECIDE to deepen the Strategic Partnership launched in 2006, through the adoption of this Action Plan:

I – General Objectives

India and Brazil set the following general objectives for this Action Plan:

1. To strengthen established institutional mechanisms and political consultations and promote coordination on bilateral, plurilateral and multilateral themes of mutual interest, based on the principles of equality and mutual trust;

2. To follow in a coordinated manner the outcomes and activities of the existing institutional mechanisms and the implementation of cooperation initiatives in all areas of bilateral relations, as well as to promote the exchange of national experiences in areas of mutual interest; and

3. To enable the review of progress in all areas of cooperation;

II – Thematic Areas

The existing mechanisms, as well as the goals of this Action Plan, shall be grouped in the following six major thematic areas:

a) Political and Strategic Coordination

Mechanisms:

- Foreign Office Consultations; and

- Strategic Dialogue.

Goals:

- To promote frequent exchanges between the Foreign Affairs Ministries of the two countries;

- To identify priority areas for bilateral cooperation and promote dialogue in these sectors; and

- To promote timely and in-depth exchange of views on foreign policy and bilateral coordination on international issues of mutual interest.

b) Trade &Commerce, Investments, Agriculture, Civil Aviation and EnergyMechanisms:

- Economic and Financial Dialogue;

- Trade Monitoring Mechanism;

- Joint Working Group on Bio-energy;

- Joint Working Group on Oil and Gas;

- Joint Working Group on Geology and Mineral Resources; and

- India-Brazil Business Leaders Forum;

Goals:

- To encourage dialogue on the state of the global economy and the respective national economies, as well as on topics on the international economic agenda;

- To support initiatives that stimulate the knowledge economy;

- To implement the Investment Cooperation and Facilitation Treaty;

- To sign and implement the Protocol Amending the Convention for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income;

- To hold regular meetings of the Trade Monitoring Mechanism with the objective to advance business interests and identification as well as elimination of trade barriers;

- To finalize and implement a work plan under the MoU on Cooperation in the Fields of Zebu Cattle Genomics and Assisted Reproductive Technologies between EMBRAPA of Brazil and the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) of India;

- To finalize and implement a work plan under the MoU on Genetic Resources, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Natural Resources and Fisheries between EMBRAPA of Brazil and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR);

- To implement the Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation in the field of Oil and Natural Gas;

- To implement the Memorandum of Understanding on Bioenergy Cooperation;

- To implement the Memorandum of Understanding between the Geological Survey of Brazil (CPRM) and the Geological Survey of India (GSI) on Cooperation in the Field of Geology and Mineral Resources;

- To promote greater interaction between businesses from both sides through the participation in Trade Fairs undertaken by the two countries and the organization of the India-Brazil Business Leaders Forum;

- To promote cooperation under the MoU between Invest India and the Brazilian Trade And Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil);

- To foster negotiations aiming at the expansion of Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) between MERCOSUR and India; and

- To fully implement the Air Services Agreement between India and Brazil, signed in 2011.

c) Science, Technology and Innovation; Space Cooperation; Environment and Technical Cooperation; HealthMechanisms:

- Joint Commission on Science and Technology;

- Joint Working Group on Environment; and

- Mechanism on Global Cyber Issues.

Goals:

- To implement the Programme of Scientific and Technological Cooperation for 2020-2023;

- To stimulate the activities of the India-Brazil Scientific Council;

- To identify opportunities for a greater cooperation in space, in particular in the development of satellites and launchers, including the formation of a Joint Working Group on Space to discuss matters related to Space Cooperation;

- To work on cooperation initiatives to promote sustainable development, ensuring the integration of the economic, social and environmental dimensions;

- To implement plans for the India-Brazil Agritech Cross-Incubation Programme in order to encourage implementation of new technologies in the agricultural sector;

- To work towards the conclusion of the MoU on Bilateral Cooperation in Research, Development and Innovation between EMBRAPII of Brazil and Global Innovation and Technology Alliance (GITA) from India;

- To activate the Joint Working Group on Environment under the Memorandum of Understanding on Environmental Cooperation;

- To implement the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Health and Medicine and the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Traditional Systems of Medicine and Homeopathy; and

- To implement the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Early Childhood.

d) Defence and Security Mechanisms:

- Joint Defence Committee; and

- Joint Committee on Cyber Security.

Goals:

- To intensify meetings of Armed Forces officials from both countries to explore new possibilities for cooperation and exchange;

- To encourage greater collaboration between the respective defence industrial bases, including through the consolidation of the Joint Working Group on Defence Industrial Cooperation established within the Joint Defence Committee;

- To implement the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the area of Cyber Security; and

- To work together with a view to conclude an agreement regarding cooperation in combating international terrorism and transnational organized crime.

e) Culture and Education Mechanism:

- Joint Cultural Commission.

Goals:

- To consider possible activities for the commemoration of year 2023 as the Platinum Jubilee for the Celebration of the Establishment of Diplomatic relationship between India and Brazil;

- To implement the Cultural Exchange Programme for 2020-2024 that encourages exchange in the areas of culture, higher education, science and arts, as well as exchange of cultural, scientific and educational materials; and

- To explore the potential for academic mobility between the two countries.

f) Consular Issues,Social Security and Legal Cooperation Mechanism:

- Consultation Mechanism on Consular and Mobility Issues.

Goals:

- To boost consular cooperation, including by undertaking consular consultations;

- To implement the Agreement on Social Security; and

- To implement the Agreement on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters and complete negotiations on the Agreement on Judicial Cooperation in Civil & Commercial Matters.

III – Institutional arrangements

1. As the main mechanism for high-level political dialogue and cooperation between the two countries, the India-Brazil Joint Commission for Political, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation shall be the main forum for monitoring the implementation of the Action Plan of the Strategic Partnership.

2. The Joint Commission will convene, in principle, every two years, and will guide and evaluate the bilateral cooperation in all areas, in accordance with the present Action Plan.

3. New institutional mechanisms that might be established to meet the demands of the bilateral relations will be framed in accordance with the present Action Plan to Strengthen the Strategic Partnership.