India has strong defence ties with a number of countries including Russia, Israel, France and the United States of America. But there is enormous potential for growth in the defence relationship between India and Brazil.
That three four-star Brazilian armed forces officers have been in India in the last year and a bit is only another example of Brasilia’s keenness to work with New Delhi. There could be considerable forward movement during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Brazil next month.
A major area relates to submarines. Both India and Brazil have the French designed Scorpene submarines and the two navies can work together in the areas of training, maintenance and refurbishment.
P. Kumaran (Secretary-East) of the MEA today said Brazil was keen on secure communications equipment, offshore patrol vessels, Indian produced artillery and the Akash air defence system, so successful during Operation Sindoor, the four-day conflict with Pakistan.
On the other hand, the Brazilians feel that their tried and tested Embraer aircraft could be used by India for reconnaissance and as platforms for eye-in-the-sky aerial warning systems. India already uses Embraer aircraft for VVIP travel. The Brazilians are looking at swaps- sharing aircraft in exchange of weapons systems of equal value like artillery and the Akash, but that may be unwieldy, sources said. Matching weapons made by a Brazilian private sector firm with Indian defence public sector made equipment may not be easy.
Defence Acquisition Council meeting on July 3
The defence acquisition council, headed by defence minister Rajnath Singh, will meet on July 3, and not tomorrow as originally planned. Chief of defence staff General Anil Chauhan and the three chiefs are part of the DAC. Two major projects before the DAC include a dozen minesweepers for the Navy and they will cost Rs 40,000 crore and Quick Reaction Short Range Missiles for the Army, costing Rs 30,000 crore.