NEW DELHI: PM Narendra Modi spoke to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Thursday and reviewed progress in the India-Brazil strategic partnership, while also underlining the significance of bilateral cooperation for the Global South. Modi also told Lula – who, in the middle of a tariff spat with the US last year, had said that he was going to visit India in early 2026 — that he was looking forward to welcoming him soon.Lula, who dialed Modi, will visit India from Feb 19 to 21. He is also expected to take part in the AI summit during his visit. In the 45-minute conversation, the leaders pledged to work together for UNSC reforms and reaffirmed their commitment to peace in Gaza and to multilateralism. “Glad to speak with President Lula. We reviewed the strong momentum in the India-Brazil Strategic Partnership, which is poised to scale new heights in the year ahead. Our close cooperation is vital for advancing the shared interests of the Global South. I look forward to welcoming him to India soon,” said Modi in a post on X.India and Brazil are both founding members of BRICS, and Lula is expected to visit India again later this year for the summit that India will host under its presidency. Like India, Brazil was slapped with 50% tariff by the Trump administration last year after a diplomatic falling-out between the two sides.Both countries have so far not accepted President Donald Trump’s invitation to join his Board of Peace for ending the Gaza conflict and ensuring lasting peace. A vocal critic of Trump’s tariff policies, Lula accused the US president this week of trying to rule the world through social media. The Brazilian president had called Modi in August last year to discuss “imposition of unilateral tariffs” and the need to defend multilateralism.“The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen the India-Brazil Strategic Partnership and take it to even greater heights in the year ahead,” said the Indian government in a statement.“Recalling their meetings last year in Brasilia and South Africa, the two leaders noted with satisfaction the significant progress achieved across diverse areas of bilateral cooperation, including trade and investment, technology, defence, energy, health, agriculture and people-to-people ties,” it added.The leaders also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest. They also underlined the importance of reformed multilateralism in addressing shared challenges, according to the Indian readout.
