Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin has arrived in India for a two-day official visit beginning Wednesday, aimed at reviewing trade and investment ties while reinforcing the long-standing Strategic Partnership between the two nations. The visit marks a significant step toward achieving the ambitious bilateral trade target of $20 billion over the next five years.
Alckmin, who also serves as Brazil’s Minister of Development, Industry, Trade, and Services, is leading a high-profile delegation that includes cabinet ministers, senior officials, and business leaders. On Thursday, he will co-chair the inaugural Trade Ministerial Review Meeting with India’s Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal.
On Wednesday, Alckmin will meet Defense Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi, with Brazilian Defense Minister Jose Mucio Monteiro Filho joining the discussions. The two sides will review defense cooperation, focusing on industrial collaboration and military-to-military engagement.
The Brazilian Vice President’s itinerary includes meetings with Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep S. Puri. He is also scheduled to address the India-Brazil Business Forum and visit the All India Institute of Ayurveda, exploring new opportunities in health and innovation.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs stated that the visit will help identify priority sectors, strengthen economic linkages, and outline a roadmap to achieve the $20 billion trade goal. Brazil remains India’s largest trading partner in South America, with bilateral merchandise trade reaching $12.19 billion during FY 2024–25.
The trip comes shortly after the India-Brazil Trade Monitoring Mechanism (TMM) meeting held on October 7 in New Delhi, where both countries discussed expanding trade in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, MSMEs, finance, and petrochemicals.
The discussions also touched upon the India-MERCOSUR Preferential Trade Agreement, market access, and visa facilitation to boost cross-border business.
The visit follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to Brazil in July 2025, where he and President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva reaffirmed their commitment to elevating bilateral cooperation across economic, strategic, and multilateral platforms.
As India’s export markets diversify beyond the US, Brazil’s growing importance in trade reflects India’s evolving global economic outlook and strategic diplomacy.
