Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva engaged in a phone call on Thursday, signaling a shared commitment to strengthening the strategic partnership between India and Brazil. Modi conveyed his anticipation of welcoming President Lula to India in the near future.
In a post on X, Modi expressed his satisfaction with the conversation, stating, "Glad to speak with President Lula. We reviewed the strong momentum in the India-Brazil Strategic Partnership, which is poised to scale new heights in the year ahead. Our close cooperation is vital for advancing the shared interests of the Global South. I look forward to welcoming him to India soon".
During the call, the two leaders reaffirmed their dedication to elevating the India-Brazil Strategic Partnership to new levels in the coming year. They acknowledged the substantial progress made in various areas of bilateral cooperation, including trade and investment, technology, defense, energy, health, agriculture, and people-to-people ties. Both leaders also exchanged perspectives on regional and global matters of mutual interest and emphasized the importance of reformed multilateralism in addressing shared challenges.
India has assumed the BRICS presidency for 2026, succeeding Brazil. The priorities for India's BRICS presidency are structured around four pillars: resilience, innovation, cooperation, and sustainability. These pillars include resolutions already agreed upon during the Brazilian presidency. On January 13, 2026, Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar unveiled the logo and theme of India's BRICS chairmanship. The logo “symbolises inclusivity, dialogue and shared growth”. The theme, “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”, reflects a people-centric and humanity-first approach articulated by India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 2025 BRICS Summit in Brazil.
India and Brazil have set an ambitious target of $20 billion in bilateral trade and are focusing on defense cooperation. In July of last year, during PM Modi's visit to Brazil, the two countries signed six agreements, encompassing cooperation in areas such as combating international terrorism and transnational crime, renewable energy, digital solutions, intellectual property, and the exchange of classified information.
Lula had previously confirmed in August of last year that he would make a state visit to India in early 2026. He also expressed his intention to initiate discussions among BRICS nations regarding levies imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump. Furthermore, Lula had spoken of his desire to visit India with a delegation comprising government officials, scientists, and business leaders, with the aim of expanding relations in sectors like energy and pharmaceuticals.
In light of India's leadership of the next AI Summit in 2026, both countries have reaffirmed the potential for increased bilateral cooperation in Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI). They aim to convene the Joint Commission on Scientific and Technological Cooperation to promote collaboration in areas like digital public infrastructure, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, renewable energy, and outer space.
