Foreign Affairs

Brazil and India established diplomatic relations in 1948, soon after Indian independence. From the 1990s on, when both undertook reforms to further open their economies, political and economic relations have become more intense. Political contact by high-level authorities have increased since the 2000s, stimulating the identification of cooperation opportunities and motivating the establishment of a Strategic Partnership in 2006.

Brazil and India are democratic countries, with vast territories and large populations. 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.

The strengthening of cooperation in science, technology and innovation with India, which holds great experience in the sector, adds to the cooperation initiatives in areas such as agriculture, defense, energy, outer space, environment and social issues.

Examples of agreements between India and Brazil are the Agreement on Cooperation in the Fields of Science and Technology (1985), the Agreement on Cooperation in Defense-related Issues (2003), the Framework Agreement on Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (2004) and the Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation on Agriculture and Related Sectors (2008). The Joint Committee on Political, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation and the political consultation meetings are the main mechanisms for coordinating bilateral relations. There are also thematic committees, such as defense, science and technology, and the trade monitoring mechanism.

Trade between Brazil and India totaled US$ 7.02 billion in 2019, with Brazilian exports summed US$ 2.76 billion and imports from India US$ 4.26 billion. Among Indian investments in our country, those in power transmission, pesticides and heavy vehicle components stand out. Brazilian investments in India include those in the electric motors, banking terminals and heavy vehicle components sectors.

Chronology of bilateral relations

1948 – Establishment of diplomatic relations between Brazil and India

1954 – Vice President S. Radhakrishnan visits Brazil

1968 – Visit of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to Brazil

1992 – Prime Minister Narasimha Rao visits Brazil (Rio-92)

1996 – visit of President Fernando Henrique Cardoso to India

1998 – Visit of President K.R. Narayanan to Brazil

2002 – Establishment of the Joint Commission for Political, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation

2003 – First Joint Committee Meeting (New Delhi)

2004 – President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva visits India

2006 – Establishment of the Brazil-India Strategic Partnership. Visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Brazil. Second Meeting of the Joint Commission (Brasilia)

2007 – Visit of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to India. Third Meeting of the Joint Commission (New Delhi); First Meeting of the Brazil-India Strategic Dialogue (New Delhi)

2008 – Visit of President Pratibha Patil to Brazil; creation of the Brazil-India Trade Monitoring Mechanism

2009 – Fourth Meeting of the Joint Commission (Brasília). Creation of the Brazilian military attaché post in New Delhi. First Meeting of the Brazil-India Trade Monitoring Mechanism. Entry into force of the Preferential Trade Agreement between Mercosur and India

2010 – Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's working visit to Brazil; Second Meeting of the Brazil-India Strategic Dialogue (Brasilia); Second Meeting of the Brazil-India Trade Monitoring Mechanism

2011 – Fifth Joint Committee Meeting (New Delhi); Third Meeting of the Brazil-India Strategic Dialogue; First Meeting of the Economic and Financial Dialogue

2012 – Visit of President Dilma Rousseff to India; Third Meeting of the Brazil-India Trade Monitoring Mechanism; First Meeting of the Joint Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation; Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Brazil (Rio + 20)

2013 – Sixth Joint Commission Meeting (Brasília); Second Meeting of the Economic and Financial Dialogue

2014 – Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays a working visit to Brazil on the occasion of the Sixth BRICS Summit

2015 – Seventh Joint Commission Meeting (New Delhi); IV Meeting of the Brazil-India Strategic Dialogue; I Brazil-India Political Consultation Meeting; I Meeting of the Consular Consultation and Mobility Mechanism (Brasilia); Minister of Agriculture Kátia Abreu visits India

2016 – The President of the Republic, Michel Temer, visits India (October 17)

2016 – Visits of President Michel Temer; Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply Blairo Maggi; and Minister of Industry, Foreign Trade and Services Marcos Pereira to India; Fourth Meeting of the Brazil-India Trade Monitoring Mechanism

2017 – Meeting of President Michel Temer with Prime Minister Narendra Modi (on the sidelines of the IX BRICS Summit in Xiamen) (Beijing, June 18-19)

2018 – Second Meeting of the Brazil-India Joint Commission on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (May 30)

2019 – Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays a working visit to Brazil on the occasion of the Eleventh BRICS Summit

2020 – President Jair Bolsonaro pays a working visit to India; Fifth Meeting of the Brazil-India Trade Monitoring Mechanism [Joint communiqué] [Documents adopted] [Action plan] [Cooperation and Investment Facilitation Agreement]