When Samba meets strategy: What's behind the visit of Brazil's Lula?

The upcoming visit of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is a carefully choreographed diplomacy, a Samba-meets-strategy moment when India and Brazil will try to coordinate their trade dance moves. Lula's February 18-22 state visit will be seen as far more than ceremonial pageantry amid global economic turbulence and geopolitical churn. As per an ET report based on an interview with Brazilian envoy to India, Kenneth H da Nobrega, the agreements being finalised promise tangible gains in pharmaceuticals, critical minerals, aviation manufacturing, mobility and multilateral cooperation, while reinforcing the broader push by both nations to diversify trade partnerships and assert greater autonomy in world affairs.

Coordinated Samba moves in a rocky world

Lula’s visit unfolds against a backdrop of global trade volatility and growing fragmentation in supply chains. For Brazil, the outreach to India reflects a deliberate strategy to reduce economic dependence on traditional partners such as the United States and China and to strengthen ties with emerging powers. For India, deeper engagement with Latin America’s largest economy supports its own diversification agenda and ambition to expand its footprint in the Global South.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Lula have already set an ambitious target of raising bilateral trade to $20 billion within five years. This goal appears achievable when viewed against the steady growth trajectory of commerce between the two countries. In FY 2024–25, bilateral merchandise trade reached USD 12.19 billion, with Brazil already India’s largest trading partner in the Latin American and Caribbean region. Expanding this volume will require both structural reforms and new sectoral partnerships, many of which are expected to be catalysed during Lula’s visit, as the Brazilian envoy told ET.


“Football is Brazil’s passion, just as cricket is loved by the people of India. Whether it’s sending the ball past the boundary or into the goal, when both are on the same team, a USD 20 billion partnership is not difficult to achieve,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said during his visit to Brazil last year, adding that both sides will also work to expand the India–MERCOSUR Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA).

Central to Lula's visit is the planned expansion of the India–MERCOSUR Preferential Trade Agreement, which has been in force since 2009. Broadening the scope of tariff concessions and product coverage could unlock significant gains for exporters on both sides, embedding India more firmly within South America’s trade architecture while offering Brazil greater access to Asian markets.

Pharmaceuticals and public health diplomacy

Among the most consequential outcomes anticipated during the visit is a memorandum of understanding on health cooperation. Brazil’s vast public healthcare system requires substantial volumes of affordable medicines, and Indian pharmaceutical companies are well positioned to supply them due to competitive pricing and scale.

For India, this represents an opportunity to consolidate its reputation as the “pharmacy of the developing world.” Greater access to Brazil’s healthcare procurement market could significantly expand Indian pharmaceutical exports, while Brazil benefits from cost-effective supply chains and reliable partners. The arrangement underscores a shared development-oriented approach, where trade is aligned with public welfare objectives.

Critical minerals and strategic resources

Another key dimension of the visit involves cooperation in critical minerals. Brazil is developing its mineral sector, and India is keenly interested in tapping into the continent’s substantial deposits. Securing diversified sources of essential minerals is crucial for India’s clean energy transition, electronics manufacturing, and strategic industries.

An MoU in this field would not only enhance resource security for India but also integrate Brazil more deeply into emerging global supply chains for energy transition technologies. In an era where access to lithium, rare earth elements, and other critical inputs shapes industrial competitiveness, India–Brazil cooperation carries implications far beyond bilateral trade figures.

Defence, aerospace and industrial collaboration

The visit is also expected to yield another memorandum between the Adani Group and Embraer. Last month, Adani Defence & Aerospace and Embraer agreed to establish a manufacturing facility in India for regional transport aircraft. A renewed or expanded understanding during Lula’s visit would solidify a promising defence-industrial partnership.

For India, collaboration with Embraer supports its push for indigenisation and advanced aerospace manufacturing under the “Make in India” initiative. For Brazil, it offers expanded production capacity and entry into one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets. The partnership also reflects a broader convergence in defence cooperation, following recent high-level engagements such as the October 2025 visit to India by Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin and Defence Minister Jose Mucio Monteiro.

Mobility, visas and people-to-people bridges

Beyond trade and technology, the visit promises to reshape mobility between the two nations. Brazil’s announcement of a 10-year multiple-entry visa regime for Indian tourists is a significant gesture aimed at boosting travel and cultural exchange. Simultaneously, Brazil is easing business visas for Indian professionals in response to rising bilateral trade and investment flows.

These measures signal recognition that sustained economic partnerships require easier movement of people. Enhanced tourism, educational exchanges, and professional mobility can foster mutual familiarity and generate new commercial and cultural linkages. The opening of a new Brazilian business office in India, one of only around 20 such offices worldwide, further demonstrates Brazil’s commitment to deepening engagement.

Political significance and multilateral convergence

The importance of Lula’s visit extends well beyond economics. It carries substantial political symbolism, reinforcing Brazil’s aspiration to act as an influential voice in global governance. Brazilian officials have described the visit as one of the largest overseas missions of the current administration, underlining its strategic weight.

India and Brazil share common positions on reforming global institutions. Recently, Lula and Modi reiterated their support for comprehensive United Nations reforms, including changes to the Security Council. Their alignment within forums such as BRICS and other multilateral platforms strengthens the collective bargaining power of emerging economies.

In a world marked by strategic competition and trade disruptions, the India–Brazil partnership exemplifies a broader Global South assertion. Both countries seek diversified trade networks, greater resilience in supply chains and a more equitable international order. Lula’s visit, therefore, is not merely a bilateral milestone but also a statement of intent about the evolving geometry of global power.

If Samba is defined by synchronized movement among distinct performers, then India and Brazil appear to be finding their rhythm. The forthcoming agreements on health, minerals, aerospace manufacturing, visa liberalisation and trade expansion provide practical scaffolding for the ambitious $20 billion target. At the same time, intensified political coordination shows that both nations view each other as pivotal partners in shaping a multipolar world.

For India, Lula’s visit strengthens ties with Latin America’s leading economy, secures access to vital resources, expands export opportunities and deepens multilateral cooperation. In the wider global context, it reflects the growing agency of emerging powers determined to choreograph their own diplomatic dance, one step at a time, but increasingly in sync.