India-Brazil ties: President Murmu hosts Lula, hails strategic gains

President Droupadi Murmu hosted Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, reaffirming the India-Brazil Strategic Partnership. They discussed boosting trade, agriculture, energy cooperation, and the need for multilateral institution reform.

President Droupadi Murmu received Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil, at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi. She also hosted a banquet in his honour. The President thanked him for his participation and valuable contribution to the AI Impact Summit. She also congratulated him on the successful hosting of the BRICS and COP-30 Summits in Brazil last year, according to the release.

Strengthening Strategic Partnership

The President was happy to note that the India-Brazil Strategic Partnership continues to make steady progress across several sectors, including trade and investment, defence, oil and gas, bio-fuels, agriculture and livestock, healthcare and traditional medicine, space, science and technology, digital cooperation, and cyber security.

Expanding Bilateral Trade

Underlining that Brazil is India's largest trade partner in Latin America, the President said that there is immense potential to expand and diversify the bilateral trade. She stated that India is keen to expand the Preferential Trade Agreement with MERCOSUR and is equally committed to deepening bilateral trade engagement with Brazil, the release stated.

Deepening Agricultural Cooperation

The President was happy to note that India-Brazil cooperation in agriculture has grown stronger in recent years. She said that our trade in primary and secondary products, as well as agro-chemicals, is substantial. She emphasised the need to promote research and technology transfer in areas such as crop production, irrigation techniques, post-harvest management, and biotechnology.

Energy and Critical Minerals Partnership

The President said that India and Brazil share a strong partnership in the energy sector, encompassing both conventional and renewable energy, including trade and investment. She appreciated Brazil's continued support for the Global Biofuel Alliance. She stated that as a member of the International Solar Alliance (ISA), the India-Brazil partnership has also been fruitful.

The President highlighted that this is also an opportune time to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in critical minerals and rare earth materials. She was happy to note that an important agreement had been signed in this sector today.

A Shared Voice for the Global South

The President said that as leading voices of the Global South, India and Brazil must continue working towards reform of multilateral institutions, particularly the United Nations Security Council, to make them more representative of contemporary realities, the release stated.

The two leaders agreed that there is tremendous potential to further deepen India-Brazil bilateral cooperation. President Droupadi Murmu expressed confidence that under the leadership of President Lula, India and Brazil will grow even closer.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva arrived in India on February 18. During the period February 19-20 participated in the India AI Impact Summit. This is President Lula's fifth visit to India as President of Brazil. The visit comes seven months after the state visit of PM Modi to Brasilia on July 8, 2025. (ANI)

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