India-Brazil foreign affairs ministers to discuss energy, defence cooperation

Brazilian foreign minister Mauro Vieira will co-chair the ninth India-Brazil Joint Commission meeting with his Indian counterpart S. Jaishankar on 27 August, according to an official statement by the Indian ministry of foreign affairs.

Vieira will be visiting India from 25-28 August.

The Joint Commission meeting is held every two years

With Brazil holding the G20 Presidency this year, the ministers will also discuss how the two countries can take forward key G20 outcomes from the Indian presidency of last year, New Delhi said.

Brazil will host the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Rio de Janeiro on 18-19 November. The G20 is made up of 19 countries–Argentina, India, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Russia, Turkiye, UK and the US and two regional bodies: the African Union and the European Union.

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During the G20 meeting in New Delhi last year, President of Brazil Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the launch of the Brazil-India Business Forum and discussed ways of bringing their scientists and business people closer to each other, promoting technological exchange, and trade and investment between the two countries. The leaders had stressed the great potential for technical cooperation and trade in space, aviation and biofuels.

During the meeting, the two leaders had committed to promoting a high-level dialogue between the three IBSA (India, Brazil, South Africa) partners and highlighted the strategic importance of the forum – which was created in 2003 – in protecting and advancing the interests of the Global South.

‘Opportunity to strengthen strategic partnership’

“India and Brazil share a multifaceted relationship rooted in shared values. The forthcoming visit of Foreign Minister Vieira will provide an opportunity to further strengthen the strategic partnership established in 2006 and explore new avenues of cooperation in bilateral, regional and multilateral arena across diverse sectors,” an Indian statement said on Saturday.

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Earlier last month, economic relations secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs Dammu Ravi led India’s delegation at the G20 Development Ministers’ Meeting in Rio De Janeiro.

During the meeting, he highlighted India’s flagship programmes, including the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Jal Jeevan Mission, and AMRUT and reiterated India’s commitment to achieving Sustainable Development Goals related to water and sanitation.

The 8th India-Brazil Joint Commission meeting, held in Brazil on 24 August 2022, and the 2nd Foreign Office Consultation (FOC) in Brazil on 20 June 2023, reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relationship and discussed cooperation in the areas of trade and investment, sustainable development, energy with focus on biofuel, agriculture and livestock, health and traditional medicine, science and technology, defence affairs, counter-terrorism, consular and legal affairs, regional and global issues, including reformed multilateralism.