Amid escalating trade tensions sparked by US President Donald Trump’s recent tariff hike on Indian goods, Brazilian President Luiz Incio Lula da Silva held a crucial phone conversation with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday. The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral ties and expanding cooperation across multiple sectors.
According to an official statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Modi and Lula agreed to deepen ties in trade, technology, energy, defence, agriculture, healthcare, and people-to-people engagement. “Building on previous discussions, they reiterated their commitment to take the India-Brazil Strategic Partnership to new heights,” the statement noted.
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During the call, PM Modi recalled his recent visit to Brazil last month, highlighting the framework established during that trip for stronger bilateral cooperation. The conversation came just a day after US President Trump issued an executive order imposing a 25 per cent additional tariff on Indian exports, a move that has stirred economic and diplomatic concerns.
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BRICS Response In Works
Earlier on Wednesday, President Lula told Reuters that he planned to call PM Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and other BRICS leaders to discuss a collective response to Trump’s tariffs.
“I’m going to try to discuss with them about how each one is doing in this situation, what the implications are for each country, so we can make a decision. It’s important to remember that the BRICS have ten countries at the G20,” Lula said.