Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will visit India next week to participate in the AI Impact Summit and hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi aimed at shoring up defence and trade cooperation and strengthening multipolarity against a backdrop of geopolitical churn.
Lula, who is visiting India from February 18 at Modi’s invitation, had announced plans to travel to New Delhi last year after US President Donald Trump slapped countries around the world with reciprocal tariffs. Both India and Brazil had faced 50% tariffs last year, and Lula had spoken of Brazil’s plans to forge stronger economic ties with countries such as India.
Besides participating in the AI Impact Summit during February 19 and 20, Lula will hold a bilateral meeting with Modi on February 21, the external affairs ministry said.
He will also meet President Droupadi Murmu, vice-president CP Radhakrishnan and external affairs minister S Jaishankar.
Lula and Modi will review bilateral relations and discuss regional and global issues, including cooperation in multilateral forums, “reformed multilateralism, global governance and issues concerning the Global South”, the ministry said.
The visit will be an opportunity for both sides to “chart a forward-looking agenda for further strengthening bilateral strategic partnership and further deepen cooperation across bilateral, regional and global platforms, on issues of mutual interest,” the ministry said.
Lula is expected to be accompanied by 14 ministers and a large delegation of Brazilian CEOs. The accompanying ministers will also meet their Indian counterparts. The CEOs are expected to participate in a business forum, reflecting the growing trade and commercial engagements between the two countries.
Ahead of the visit, Brazilian officials have spoken about plans for closer cooperation with India in sectors such as defence, technology and trade. Brazil is India’s largest trade partner in Latin America and two-way trade grew by more than 25% in 2025, reaching $15.21 billion, as against $12.2 billion in 2024. Indian exports were worth $8.35 billion and imports from Brazil were valued at $6.85 billion.
The Brazilian Navy, Indian Navy and state-run Mazagon Docks Ltd signed an agreement last December on the maintenance of Scorpene submarines, which are operated by both countries, and other military vessels.
Other areas of cooperation include health, pharmaceuticals, energy, rare earth materials and innovation, including digital public infrastructure (DPI), AI and space.
People familiar with the matter said Lula’s visit assumes greater significance as he is not expected to travel to India again for the Brics Summit later this year as his focus will be on Brazil’s upcoming election. This will be Lula’s sixth visit to India, and he first travelled to the country in 2004 as the chief guest for Republic Day celebrations. Modi travelled to Brazil in July 2025, marking the first state visit by an Indian premier in 57 years.