Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that both India and Brazil believe in “zero tolerance and zero double standards” when it comes to fighting terrorism. Speaking at a joint press briefing with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, PM Modi stated that “our idea on the fight against terrorism is the same.” He added that “we strongly oppose terror and the supporters of terrorism.”

Modi also thanked Lula for “his solidarity and support” after the terrorist attack in Pahalgam in April.

Tive conversas frutíferas com o presidente Lula, que sempre foi apaixonado pela amizade entre a Índia e o Brasil. As nossas conversas incluíram formas de aprofundar os laços comerciais e também diversificar o comércio bilateral. Ambos concordamos que há um enorme potencial para… pic.twitter.com/9fdEndfgLW

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 8, 2025

Shared Democratic Values and Cultural Bonds

Modi described India and Brazil as two large democracies that have long worked together on major global matters. He said the countries act as “pillars of stability amid worldwide uncertainty.”

He stressed the role of cultural exchanges and said “people-to-people ties are an important pillar of our relations.” Modi noted that shared interests like sports help strengthen these bonds, saying, “We want India-Brazil relations to be as colourful as carnival, as energetic as a game of football, and connecting hearts like Samba.”

Key Partnerships in Energy and Defence

PM Modi pointed out that both countries are seeing rapid growth in clean energy cooperation. He said, “In the field of energy, our cooperation is constantly increasing. Environment and clean energy are the main priorities of both countries.” Referring to the agreement signed during the visit, Modi noted that it “will give a new momentum to our green goals.”

On defence, he said that “increasing defence cooperation is an indication of our deep mutual trust” and assured that both nations will “continue with our efforts to bring together our defence industry.”

Modi Invites Lula, Lula Eyes Trade Growth

During the briefing, PM Modi also invited President Lula to visit India. Lula, in response, said Brazil wants to strengthen its economic ties with India. He announced that his country aims to “triple trade flows with India from $12 billion last year in the short term.” However, he did not give an exact timeline.

Lula also said that Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer “wants to strengthen its presence in India” by partnering with local companies. He added that expanding the trade agreement between India and the South American bloc Mercosur could “help reduce both tariff and non-tariff barriers.”

Broad Talks and New Agreements

According to Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, the two leaders held “extensive discussions on multifaceted ties,” covering defence, trade, pharmaceuticals, health, space, energy security, infrastructure, and digital public infrastructure.

They also explored new areas such as critical minerals, artificial intelligence, supercomputers, and digital mobility. Both sides agreed to target $20 billion in bilateral trade over the next five years.

After their talks, India and Brazil signed several agreements to boost cooperation in key sectors.

PM Modi Receives Brazil’s Highest Civilian Honour

As part of the visit, President Lula awarded PM Modi the Grand Collar of the National Order of the Southern Cross—Brazil’s highest civilian award. Lula presented the honour for Modi’s “notable contributions to strengthening bilateral relations and enhancing India-Brazil cooperation across key global platforms.”

Receiving the award, PM Modi said, “Being honoured with Brazil’s highest national award by the President today is a moment of immense pride and emotion, not only for me, but also for 140 crore Indians.”

A Warm Welcome in Brasília

PM Modi arrived in Brasília after attending the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro. He received a ceremonial welcome featuring a 114-horse parade at the Alvorada Palace. During the event, he also enjoyed an Indian classical bhajan performance.

Modi said his Brazil visit would “add momentum to the bilateral relations” and looked forward to more collaboration in the future.