Foreign Affairs

Diplomatic relations between Brazil and India were established in 1948, soon after Indian independence. From the 1990s on, when both countries have undergone reforms aimed at greater openness of their economies. Political and economic relations became more intense. High-level political contacts of authorities have multiplied since the 2000s, stimulating the identification of cooperation opportunities and motivating the establishment of a Strategic Partnership in 2006.

Brazil and India are democratic, multiethnic, multicultural, and multi-religious countries, with vast territories and large populations, which share objectives such as the promotion of economic growth with technological progress, social inclusion and sustainable development.

The similarities between the two countries and the intensity of their relationship contribute to their coordination in international organizations and fora, such as IBSA and BRICS, besides G4, G20, and BASIC. Brazil and India wish to contribute to the reform of global governance mechanisms, making them more legitimate and effective. Institutions such as the United Nations and the IMF still reflect the historical context that followed the end of World War II and should be adapted to the present reality.

The strengthening of cooperation in science, technology and innovation with India, which holds great experience in this sector, may contribute to a boost in the productivity of the Brazilian industry and in the technological profile of the export basket. For this purpose, the Brazil-India Scientific Council, created in 2005, allows for the funding of joint research projects in the areas of Information Technology, Geoscience, Engineering, Renewable Energies, Mathematics, and Health, for example.

Cooperation initiatives are also developed in areas such as Agriculture, Defense, Energy, Environment, Outer Space and Social Themes - apart from those in the scope of IBSA. Joint actions in these sectors are examples of mutually beneficial aspects of South-South cooperation.

Among the examples of agreements signed between India and Brazil are the Trade Agreement (1968), the Cooperation Agreement in Science and Technology (1985) and the Memorandum of Understanding Establishing a Joint Commission of Political, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (2002). The Joint Commission is the main mechanism of dialogue coordination between India and Brazil.

Trade between Brazil and India increased from US $ 1 billion in 2003 to $ 9.49 billion in 2013, and still has great growth potential, considering the size and dynamism of the two economies. During the visit of President Dilma Rousseff to India in 2012, the goal to achieve  $ 15 billion of trade exchange by 2015 was established. In 2013, India ranked 12th among Brazil's largest trading partner.

Chronology of bilateral relations

1948 – Establishment of the Embassy of Brazil in New Delhi and the Indian Legation in Brazil

1968 – Official visit of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to Brazil

1996 – Official visit of President Fernando Henrique Cardoso to India

1998 – Official visit of President Narayanan to Brazil

2002 – Establishment of the Joint Commission

2003 – Creation of G-20 and IBSA

2003 –Minister of Foreign Affairs, Celso Amorim, visits New Delhi to attend the  G-20 meeting; 1st Meeting of the Joint Commission  (New Delhi)

2004 – State visit of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to India

2004 – Creation of G-4

2006 – 2^nd Meeting of the Joint Commission (Brasilia); 1^st IBSA Summit; Official visit of Prime-Minister Manmohan Singh to Brazil

2007 – 3^rd Meeting of the Brazil-India Joint Commission (New Delhi); Visit of Minister of Foreign Affairs Celso Amorim to India, 1^st Meeting of the Brazil-India Strategic Dialogue (New Delhi)

2007 – State visit of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to India

2007 – 4^th Meeting of the IBSA Joint Commission (New Delhi)

2007 – 2^nd IBSA Summit (South Africa)

2008 - Official visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Pranab Mukherjee, to Brazil

2008 – 1^st Meeting of Vice-Ministers of BRIC (Rio de Janeiro)

2008 - Official visit of the President of the Republic of India, Pratibha Patil, to Brazil

2008 - 5^th IBSA Ministerial Meeting (South Africa)

2008 – 1^st Ministerial Meeting of BRIC (Russia)

2009 –Military Attaché office of Brazil is opened in New Delhi

2009 – The Preferential Trade Agreement Mercosur-India enters into force

2009 – 4^th Meeting of Brazil - India Joint Commission (Brasilia)

2010 – Visit of the Minister of Defense, Nelson Jobim, to India

2010 – Working visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Brazil, parallel to the 4^th IBSA Summit and the 2^nd BRIC Ministerial Meeting (Brasilia)

2010 – 2^nd Meeting of the Brazil- India Strategic Dialogue (Brasilia)

2010 – India's Air Force Commander, P. V.Naik, visits Brazil

2010 – Visit of the Brazilian Navy Commander, Admiral Julio Soares de Moura Neto, to India

2010- 1^st Meeting of the Joint Committee of Defense (New Delhi)

2010 – The Secretary-General of Foreign Affairs, Antônio de Aguiar Patriota, visits India (New Delhi)

2011 – The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antônio de Aguiar Patriota, visits India (New Delhi)

2011 – 3^rd Meeting of the Brazil- India Strategic Dialogue

2011 – 7^th IBSA Ministerial Meeting (New Delhi)

2011 – 5^th Meeting of the Joint Commission Brazil- India (New Delhi)

2012 – Visit of the Ministry of Defense, Celso Amorim, to India

2012 – State visit of President Dilma Rousseff to India

2012 – Visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Brazil (Rio + 20 Earth Summit)

2013 – 6^th Brazil –India Joint Commission (Brasilia)

2013 – 16th Ministerial Meeting of BASIC countries on Climate Change (Foz do Iguaçu, September 15-16)

2013 – Meeting of Foreign Affairs Ministers of the BRICS on the sidelines of the 68th United Nations General Assembly Session (New York, September 25)

2014 –  Bilateral meeting between President Dilma Rousseff and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the occasion of the 6th Summit of Heads of State and Government of BRICS (Brasilia)

2015 – 20th BASIC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change (New York, June 28)

2015 – Meeting of the Leaders of the G4 – Brazil, Germany, India and Japan – on the Reform of the UN Security Council (September 26)

2015 – Meeting of BRICS Ministers of Foreign Affairs in New York, on the sidelines of the 70th Annual Session of the United Nations General Assembly (September 29)

2015 – Meeting of BRICS Leaders in Antalya, Turkey, on the sidelines of the G20 Summit (November 15)

2015 - Visit of Minister Mauro Vieira to India on the occasion of the 7th meeting of the Brazil-India Joint Commission on Political, Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation (November, 18-19)

2016 – 22nd BASIC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change (New Delhi, April 7)

2016 – G20 Leaders Summit (Hangzhou, China, September 4-5)

2016 – Official visit of the President of the Republic, Michel Temer, to India (October 17)

2016 – 23rd BASIC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change (Morroco, October 17)

2017 – 24th BASIC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change (Beijing, China, April 11)

2017 – Meeting of BRICS Foreign Affairs Ministers (Beijing, June 18-19)

2017 – Informal meeting of BRICS leaders on the sidelines of the G20 Summit (Hamburg, Germany, July 7)

2017 – BRICS Leaders Summit (Xiamen, China, September 3-5)