Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is scheduled to visit India from February 19-21, 2026, to strengthen the strategic partnership between the two nations. The announcement followed a phone call between Lula and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, where they discussed bilateral relations and global issues.
During the call, the two leaders expressed satisfaction with the progress made in various areas of cooperation, including trade, investment, technology, defense, energy, health, agriculture, and people-to-people ties. They also exchanged views on regional and global matters of mutual interest and underscored the importance of reformed multilateralism in addressing shared challenges.
PM Modi conveyed his anticipation for President Lula's visit, emphasizing the vital role of India-Brazil cooperation in advancing the interests of the Global South. He noted the "strong momentum" in the India-Brazil Strategic Partnership, suggesting it is "poised to scale new heights". Lula echoed this sentiment, reaffirming their commitment to strengthening the partnership.
Lula da Silva highlighted the Brazil-India Business Forum, which will take place during his visit, aiming to bolster trade ties. He also mentioned the inauguration of the APEX Office in New Delhi.
Both leaders reaffirmed their dedication to defending peace in Gaza and around the world, as well as to multilateralism and democracy.
The planned visit occurs amidst growing disruptions in the world order and against the backdrop of tariffs imposed by the United States on both India and Brazil. In August of last year, Lula raised the issue of these soaring US tariffs.
India and Brazil are both members of the BRICS economic group, and Brazil is India's largest trading partner in Latin America, with trade reaching $12.54 billion in 2024.
Lula's visit will also include participation in the AI Impact Summit, a five-day event in India. French President Emmanuel Macron is also expected to attend the summit, which will be inaugurated by PM Modi.
