Apparently, the outcome of the recent New Delhi summit between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva looks poised to usher in a new era in Indo-Brazilian relations. It is believed that the summit focused on strengthening multifaceted cooperation between the two nations across diverse sectors, including trade, critical minerals, defense, energy, digital technology, and mutual investment. It witnessed the exchange of three MoUs between the two governments. They are related to (1) digital partnership (2) rare earth and critical minerals, and (3) mining.

An official document claims India-Brazil cooperation has prospered ever since the two nations established diplomatic relations in 1948. During India’s then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s visit to Brazil in September 1968, she met then Brazilian President Artur da Costa e Silva and initiated cultural and commercial frameworks for their cooperation. In 2006, the two nations elevated their ties to Strategic Partnership. During his previous term as Brazil’s President, Lula had a strong bond with then Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Both the leaders focused on South-South cooperation, poverty reduction, and the creation of the IBSA and the BRICS.

Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed power in New Delhi in 2014, relations between the two nations have flourished further. In July last year, Prime Minister Modi visited Brasilia following his visit to Rio de Janeiro for participating in the 17th BRICS Summit. During his visit there, the two nations signed six agreements in the fields of combating international terrorism and transnational organized crime; renewable energy; digital solutions for digital transformation; intellectual property; agricultural cooperation and exchange and mutual protection of classified information.

Relations between the two nations have flourished in various fields. Today Brazil is India’s largest trade partner in Latin America. India’s investment in Brazil is estimated to exceed $15 billion. Major Indian exports to Brazil include processed Petroleum products, agro-chemicals, pharmaceuticals, engineering products, textured filament yarn and unwrought aluminum. Brazilian exports to India included crude oil, soybean oil, gold, raw sugar, cotton, gum, wood and turpentine oils, chemicals and iron ore.

Today Brazilian engineer Jonas Masetti is spreading the knowledge of Vedas and Bhagavad Gita across the world.  Kamalaksi Rupini is popularizing the Bharatnatyam dance. The Ramakrishna Mission, ISKCON, Satya Sai Baba, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Bhakti Vedanta Foundation, Art of Living and other spiritual organizations have chapters in Brazil.

Optimists assert that Prime Minister Modi and President Lula are likely to attain new highs in Indo-Brazilian ties. The two leaders are very fond of each other. Lula has presented Modi with Brazil’s highest civilian honor.

Recently, Brazil’s Ambassador to India Kenneth da Nóbrega has claimed that President Lula and Prime Minister Modi share strong chemistry. One, however, finds the future of New Delhi-Brasilia ties looks uncertain as long as Lula continues to remain President of his country. He has been notorious for his hardcore socialist orientation. He has allegedly been aligned with the current Islamist regime in Tehran and the groups, such as Hamas and Hezbollah! He does not seem to care much about freedom and pluralism, the soul of India. New Delhi might find Lula unbearable beyond a point.

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