New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in New Delhi today, focusing on deepening strategic cooperation in critical minerals, trade, defence, and other key sectors.
The meeting, set for Saturday, February 21, 2026, aims to advance India-Brazil relations amid efforts by New Delhi to diversify supply chains for rare earths and critical minerals, reducing reliance on dominant suppliers like China. Brazil holds the world’s second-largest reserves of these resources, essential for technologies including electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, smartphones, and defence equipment.
Lula arrived in India earlier this week, leading a substantial delegation comprising over a dozen ministers and prominent business leaders. He participated in the India AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, which ran from February 16 to 20, highlighting emerging collaboration in artificial intelligence and digital technologies.
Key expected outcomes include the signing of a memorandum of understanding on critical minerals to secure supply chains. Discussions will also cover boosting bilateral trade, which surpassed $15 billion in 2025, with both nations targeting $20 billion by 2030, according to AFP. A notable defence-related development anticipated is an agreement between Brazil’s Embraer and India’s Adani Defence & Aerospace for establishing a final assembly line for the E175 aircraft in India, as per the reports.
The leaders will review the comprehensive scope of bilateral ties, rooted in shared democratic values and a Strategic Partnership since 2006. They will exchange perspectives on regional and global matters, including multilateral cooperation, reformed global governance, and priorities of the Global South. Prime Minister Modi will host a lunch for President Lula.
Additional meetings are planned with President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan, and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. The Brazilian business delegation will engage in a dedicated Business Forum to explore investment and commercial opportunities.
This visit marks Lula’s second to India, following his participation in the 2023 G20 Summit in New Delhi. The two leaders have met multiple times in recent years, including on the sidelines of the 2024 G20 in Rio, the 2025 G7 in Canada, and during Modi’s state visit to Brazil in July 2025 the first by an Indian prime minister in 57 years.
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