Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva arrives in India on Wednesday for a high-profile visit aimed at injecting fresh momentum into India–Brazil relations, with both sides preparing to expand cooperation across energy security, defence manufacturing, agriculture, critical minerals and advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence.
President Lula will attend the Global Artificial Intelligence Summit in New Delhi before beginning a full state visit on February 21, marking one of the most consequential bilateral engagements between the two countries in recent years. The visit comes as India holds the BRICS chairship and as major geopolitical and economic realignments reshape global partnerships.
In an interaction ahead of the visit, Brazil’s Ambassador to India, Kenneth H. da Nobrega, said coordination between New Delhi and Brasília has intensified over the past year and a half, particularly in trade, technology and strategic sectors, reflecting a growing convergence of interests between the two emerging economies.
Lula will be accompanied by what Brazilian officials describe as the country’s largest-ever delegation to an Asian nation, including 13 to 15 cabinet ministers and more than 150 business leaders representing over 100 companies. Discussions during the visit are expected to span trade, food and energy security, defence and aerospace, healthcare, civil aviation, high technology and coordination in multilateral platforms.
Defence manufacturing is set to feature prominently, with Brazilian companies already expanding their footprint in India. Aerospace major Embraer has strengthened its presence through partnerships with Indian firms to explore setting up a civil aircraft final assembly line under the Make in India programme, signalling deeper industrial collaboration in defence and aviation.
Energy security will be another core pillar of talks. Brazilian crude oil exports to India have been rising steadily as New Delhi seeks to diversify supplies. Last month, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd and Brazil’s Petrobras signed a USD 780 million agreement under which BPCL will purchase 12 million barrels of crude during the 2026–27 financial year, doubling earlier import volumes. The deal aligns with India’s broader effort to reduce over-reliance on a narrow set of suppliers.
Renewable energy cooperation is also expected to gain traction, particularly in biofuels. Both countries are members of the Global Biofuel Alliance, with Brazil sharing decades of experience in large-scale ethanol blending as India pushes ahead with its own biofuel targets.
Agriculture and food security will form another key area of engagement. Recent cooperation initiatives include joint efforts to improve livestock genetics and expand food trade, with Brazil eyeing greater exports of pulses and other commodities to the Indian market.
A major anticipated outcome of the visit is the signing of a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in critical minerals, a sector crucial for clean energy transitions and advanced manufacturing. Brazil’s reserves of rare earths and lithium are expected to complement India’s growing demand for secure and diversified supply chains.
Technology collaboration, particularly in artificial intelligence, is also high on the agenda. Officials on both sides are exploring cooperation in AI model training for healthcare and public digital infrastructure, aimed at improving the reach and efficiency of public services.
Trade discussions are expected to advance alongside the visit, including efforts to expand the India–Mercosur Preferential Trade Agreement. High-level talks are likely as senior Brazilian trade and agriculture officials accompany the president, with both sides assessing areas of mutual commercial interest.
Following bilateral talks, President Lula and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are expected to participate in the Brazil–India Business Forum, underscoring the private sector’s role in the relationship. Several memoranda of understanding are also likely to be concluded in energy, defence, agriculture, technology and critical minerals, alongside a proposed declaration on digital partnership.
With its strong sectoral focus and unprecedented delegation, Lula’s India visit is being positioned as a turning point, signalling a more ambitious and strategic phase in India–Brazil economic and geopolitical engagement.
