NEW DELHI, 4 June 2007 — Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva arrived here yesterday on a three-day visit, seeking to energize strategic and economic ties between Brazil and India.
Heading a large delegation including 100 businessmen, ministers and senior officials, Lula flew in here from London, for what has been described as his “most important visit” of the year. Before leaving for New Delhi, Lula told journalists in London that he aimed to “transform” Brazil’s political and economic relations with India through a series of bilateral initiatives and increased cooperation in international affairs. “We will leave India with some good agreements,” he said.
“The international community regards both our countries as indispensable actors in reshaping economic order as well as international politics,” Lula wrote in an article ahead of his visit.
This is Lula’s second visit to India in three years. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visited Brazil in September 2006. Since Manmohan’s Brazil visit, bilateral relations have been upgraded to a “strategic partnership.”
In addition to clinching important agreements aimed at increasing trade, Lula said he aims to put Indo-Brazilian “strategic partnership” on a firmer footing. “Political relations between our two countries have become much stronger since my last visit. Prime Minister Singh has more confidence in me and I have more confidence in him,” Lula said.
Lula and Manmohan will be holding talks today, which are to be followed by signing of several agreements. The two leaders are going to touch on a wide range of bilateral, regional and global issues. India is likely to seek support of Brazil, a member of the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group, for global civil nuclear cooperation. Lula had indicated, during Manmohan’s Brazil visit, that his country would take a stand in NSG only after India and US finalize a bilateral civil nuclear agreement.
Three days of talks between Indian Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon and US Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns last week did not result in any breakthrough with differences remaining on whether or not India should have the right to reprocess spent nuclear fuel. The issue is to dominate talks between Manmohan and President George W. Bush this week in Germany on the sidelines of a G-8 summit.
A highlight of Lula’s visit is the launch of India-Brazil Chief Executive Officers’ (CEO) forum, comprising 15 top corporate heads from each side, with the Indian side led by steel tycoon Ratan Tata and the Brazilian by Petrobras boss Jose Sergio Gabrielli. Lula will also address Indian captains of business and industry at a function jointly organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India.
In recent years, trade between India and Brazil has increased significantly. India’s exports to Brazil were of the order of $1.47 billion and imports $937 million in 2006. Indian companies have made investment and joint ventures in Brazil in several areas including pharmaceuticals, information technology and energy. The Brazilian companies have also begun entering India for investment and business in areas such as infrastructure, food processing and energy.
Taking their bilateral ties further, a Festival of Brazil will be organized in India in January-March 2008 and a Festival of India in Brazil in July-September 2008.
