Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said India and Brazil will work to expand cooperation in trade, clean energy, defence, Artificial Intelligence, and digital public infrastructure, underlining that both countries share a common vision for inclusive development and a people-centric approach to innovation.
Speaking at a joint press statement alongside Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, PM Modi expressed his gratitude for being conferred with Brazil’s highest national honour — ‘The Grand Collar of the National Order of the Southern Cross’.
“Today, being honoured with Brazil’s highest national award by the President of Brazil is a moment of great pride and emotion not just for me, but for 140 crore Indians. I sincerely thank the President, the Brazilian government, and the people of Brazil for this honour,” PM Modi said.
Calling President Lula his “best friend” and “Chief Architect of the Strategic Partnership between India and Brazil,” the PM said every meeting with him has motivated him to work harder for the well-being of both nations. “I dedicate this honour to his strong commitment to India and to our enduring friendship,” he said.
Trade and energy cooperation
PM Modi said India and Brazil have agreed to raise bilateral trade to USD 20 billion over the next five years. “Football is Brazil’s passion, just as cricket is loved by the people of India. Whether it’s sending the ball past the boundary or into the goal, when both are on the same team, a USD 20 billion partnership is not difficult to achieve,” he said, adding that both sides will also work to expand the India–MERCOSUR Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA).
The Prime Minister stressed that cooperation in the energy sector was steadily growing and highlighted the new agreement signed to boost collaboration on clean energy and sustainable development.
PM Modi also extended best wishes to Lula for the upcoming COP-30 Summit to be hosted by Brazil later this year.
Defence, AI and digital linkages
On defence ties, PM Modi said, “Our growing cooperation in the field of defence reflects the deep mutual trust between our two countries. We will continue our efforts to connect our defence industries and strengthen this partnership further.”
He pointed to ongoing collaboration in Artificial Intelligence and supercomputing, describing it as part of the shared goal of “inclusive development and human-centric innovation.” India’s UPI digital payments platform is also set to be adopted in Brazil, the PM said, adding that India would gladly share its experience in digital public infrastructure and space technology.
Health, Ayurveda and people-to-people ties
Highlighting ties in agriculture and health, PM Modi noted that cooperation in agriculture and animal husbandry spans several decades, and both sides are now working together in agricultural research and food processing too. “In the health sector too, we are enhancing our win-win collaboration. We have also emphasized the expansion of Ayurveda and traditional medicine in Brazil,” he said.
Underscoring the importance of people-to-people connections, the Prime Minister said that the shared passion for sports — cricket and football — brings India and Brazil closer. “We wish for India–Brazil relations to be as vibrant as Carnival, as passionate as football, and as heart-connecting as Samba — all without the long visa counter queues! With this spirit, we will work together to ease people-to-people exchanges between our two nations, especially for tourists, students, sportspersons, and businessmen,” he said.
On global issues
PM Modi said India and Brazil have always worked in close coordination on global issues and stressed that their partnership is relevant to the Global South and the wider world. “We firmly believe that it is our moral responsibility to bring the concerns and priorities of the Global South to the forefront of the global stage,” he said.
Calling for disputes to be resolved through “dialogue and diplomacy,” the PM said the India–Brazil partnership stands as an “important pillar of stability and balance” amid global tensions and uncertainty. He also reiterated both nations’ “zero tolerance and zero double standards” approach on terrorism, saying, “We strongly oppose both terrorism and those who support it.”
The Prime Minister also extended an invitation to Lula to visit India and said, “Once again, on behalf of 1.4 billion Indians, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to you for this highest national honour and for your enduring friendship.”
Earlier in the day, Lula welcomed PM Modi at the Alvorada Palace in Brasilia, where he was given a ceremonial reception featuring a 114-horse escort for his car. The two leaders then held a restricted-format meeting, followed by delegation-level discussions and the signing of agreements.
from National https://ift.tt/kE0JlCj