Lula and the Prime Minister of India discuss peace at a bilateral meeting in Japan

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva proceeded today (21) with his intense schedule of meetings with heads of State and government at the expanded G7 Summit in Hiroshima, Japan. This morning, Lula met with the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi.

The leaders highlighted the various multilateral groups Brazil and India both belong to: the G20, whose presidency is to pass over from India to Brazil in the next term; the BRICS bloc; the G4 (Germany, Brazil, India, and Japan, a working group for the reform of the UN Security Council); and the IBSA Dialogue Forum (India, Brazil, South Africa).

Lula also emphasized the strategic partnership between Brazil and India, stating that both nations "are of the utmost importance to the design of new global geopolitics." Modi, in turn, congratulated Lula for his comeback as president of Brazil and his experience.

During one of Lula's previous terms as president, the prime minister also said that Brazil's strategic partnership with India was established – and that he felt in the Brazilian president "a great passion" for the resumption of bilateral relations at the highest level.

Narendra Modi also commented that Brazil and India are not "neutral countries" concerning the war between Russia and Ukraine but nations that are highly interested in maintaining world peace. Modi expressed his willingness to work alongside Brazil toward a peaceful solution to the conflict in Europe.

Diplomatic relations

Diplomatic relations between Brazil and India date back to 1948, a year after the latter's independence from the United Kingdom. Contacts between authorities were expanded in the 21st century, establishing a strategic partnership in 2008.

Bilateral trade

Trade between Brazil and India reached a total of USD 15.1 billion in 2021, the highest result in history. Brazilian exports to India rose to USD 6.3 billion that year against USD 8.8 billion in imports of Indian products.

India is Brazil's 5th largest trading partner and the 2nd in Asia after China. India is also the 5th largest exporter of products to Brazil and the 10th main destination of Brazilian exports.