Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to meet Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in New Delhi on Saturday to strengthen cooperation on critical minerals and rare earths.
The meeting comes at a time when India has been trying to reduce its dependence on China, the country’s top exporter, and has been expanding domestic production and recycling, while simultaneously looking for new suppliers. This is after China holds a near-monopoly on rare earths production.
Brazil possesses the world’s second-largest reserves of critical minerals, which are used in modern technologies such as electric vehicles, solar panels, smartphones, jet engines, and guided missiles, AFP reported.
Lula, who is currently in India, arrived on Wednesday and headed a delegation of over a dozen ministers and business leaders to participate in the India AI Impact Summit 2026, held at Bharat Mandapam from 16 February to 20 February.
What’s on the agenda?
The two leaders are expected to sign a memorandum on critical minerals and discuss efforts to boost trade links between the two countries.
During the visit, the two countries are expected to sign an agreement between Embraer and Adani Defense & Aerospace to establish the E175 aircraft final assembly line in India, according to a report in the Indian Express.
A press briefing by the Ministry of External Affairs stated that the leaders will review the full range of bilateral relations and exchange views on regional and global issues, including collaboration in multilateral forums, global governance, reformed multilateralism, and topics concerning the Global South. PM Modi is also scheduled to host a lunch for Lula.
President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President CP Radhakrishnan, and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar are also expected to meet the Brazilian President.
President Lula is accompanied by around 14 ministers and a significant delegation of senior Brazilian CEOs. The ministers are scheduled to hold meetings with their Indian counterparts, while the CEOs will take part in a Business Forum organized as part of the visit, highlighting the growing trade and commercial ties between the two countries.
PM Modi-Lula meetings
This is the Brazilian President’s second visit to India, who last visited Delhi for the G20 Summit in 2023. In November 2024, the two leaders also held a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Leaders’ Summit that occurred in Rio de Janeiro.
The two leaders have maintained communication and have also met on several occasions. In May 2025, the Brazilian President called PM Modi and extended support and solidarity with India in the aftermath of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, during which 26 people were killed. Later, in June 2025, PM Modi and Lula interacted on the sidelines of the G7 meeting in Canada.
In July, PM Modi made a State Visit to Brazil was for the first time, and it was the second-ever bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister, which took place after a gap of 57 years.
Later in August, the two leaders also had a telephonic conversation focusing on trade matters after US President Donald Trump imposed tariffs.
India-Brazil trade
The Ministry of External Affairs’ release said India and Brazil share a close and multi-faceted Strategic Partnership, rooted in shared democratic values, strong people-to-people ties, and growing cooperation across key sectors. New Delhi and Rio de Janeiro have been Strategic Partners since 2006.
New Delhi and Rio de Janeiro have set a trade target of $20 billion to be achieved by 2030, AFP reported, after bilateral trade crossed the $15-billion mark in 2025.
India, the most populous nation in the world, is the 10th-largest destination for Brazilian exports, including sugar, crude oil, vegetable oils, cotton, and iron ore. Demand for iron ore has been fueled by India’s rapid infrastructure development and industrial growth, as the country moves toward becoming the world’s fourth-largest economy.
