RIO DE JANEIRO – Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva departed for India on Tuesday, marking a significant step in deepening ties between the two emerging powers. Lula is set to attend the second AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, where leaders will explore the transformative potential of artificial intelligence.
In a post on X before his departure, Lula highlighted the agenda: ‘On the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we are heading to India. In the coming days, I will participate in the summit on the impact of artificial intelligence and discuss new opportunities for cooperation between Brazil and India.’ He also mentioned an upcoming visit to South Korea to strengthen bilateral relations there.
Accompanying the president is a high-level business delegation, including top CEOs from Brazil’s leading companies and around 14 ministers. Their mission: to forge stronger trade links. Bilateral trade between India and Brazil has already surged past $15 billion in 2025, and this visit aims to push it even higher.
The state visit, spanning February 18 to 22, features key meetings. On February 21, Lula will hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Modi, reviewing all aspects of the partnership. Modi will host a luncheon in Lula’s honor. Discussions will extend to regional and global issues, including multilateral cooperation, reforms in global governance, and priorities for the Global South.
President Droupadi Murmu will meet Lula and host a state banquet. Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar are also on the schedule for high-level engagements. The Brazilian ministers will hold talks with their Indian counterparts, while CEOs participate in the India-Brazil Business Forum.
This is Lula’s sixth visit to India, his first as chief guest for Republic Day in 2004, and most recently for the G20 Summit in September 2023. Prime Minister Modi reciprocated with a landmark visit to Brasilia in July 2025, the first by an Indian PM in 57 years.
Since establishing a strategic partnership in 2006, India and Brazil have built robust ties rooted in democratic values, people-to-people connections, and collaboration in trade, defense, energy, agriculture, health, pharmaceuticals, renewables, critical minerals, science, technology, digital infrastructure, AI, and space. This trip offers a prime opportunity to elevate the partnership further on bilateral, regional, and global stages.