Brazil eyes strategic thrust with India visits of NSA, VP

New Delhi: Brazil is giving a big push to expand the scope of strategic partnership with India, with a special focus on the defence industry partnership following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's July visit to Brasilia and in the backdrop of the US tariffs against both India and the South American economic giant.

Confidant of the Brazilian president and national security adviser, Celso Amorim, is planning to visit India by early October to meet his counterpart Ajit Doval to shape the defence industry partnership with a focus on supply chains, among other issues, ET has learnt. "Expanding defence partnership, building on the digital public infrastructure and widening health partnership figure high on the agenda of the Brazilian president with regard to India. Amorim's visit will focus on expanding the defence partnership in a big way," Brazil's envoy to India Kenneth da Nobrega told ET.

Brazil, whose defence firms are expanding their presence in India, is keen to play a key role in India's defence supply chain as a reliable partner. "Brazil does not encounter any major geo-political threats and therefore can be a reliable and dependable supplier of defence hardware at a time when India may have faced supply chain disruptions."


Two Brazilian defence firms, Taurus (small arms) and CBC (ammunition), have established their presence in India. Joint ventures are in the pipeline. There is an opportunity to collaborate with regard to Scorpene submarines and Embraer aircraft.

Amorim's visit will be followed by the visit of Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin whose mandate is to further digital, trade and public health partnership with India. According to the Brazilian envoy, Brasilia is keen to learn from India's digital public infrastructure given similar opportunities and challenges.