New Delhi, Aug 08: As New Delhi comes under increasing pressure from the United States over trade tariffs, Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a phone call from Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Thursday evening to discuss strengthening bilateral ties across strategic sectors.
The conversation follows Modi’s visit to Brazil last month, during which both leaders agreed on a broad framework for enhanced cooperation in trade, technology, energy, defence, agriculture, health, and people-to-people exchanges. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the leaders “reiterated their commitment to take India-Brazil Strategic Partnership to new heights.”
According to an MEA statement, the two sides also “exchanged views on various regional and global issues of mutual interest,” highlighting a growing alignment between the two Global South economies at a time of rising geopolitical and trade tensions.
The call comes days after the United States imposed fresh tariffs targeting key Indian exports, part of a broader crackdown on countries maintaining economic ties with Russia and resisting American trade terms. Washington’s move has drawn sharp reactions in New Delhi, where Prime Minister Modi has publicly asserted that such coercive measures “will not be accepted.” Against this backdrop, the timing of the India-Brazil engagement is being seen as a signal of New Delhi’s intent to deepen strategic ties beyond traditional Western partners. “The leaders agreed to remain in touch,” the MEA noted, hinting at further high-level engagement in the near future.
