In the lead-up to a pivotal meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva at the BRICS Summit next month, defence cooperation between Brazil and India is rapidly gaining momentum. Brazil has shown keen interest in Indian defence platforms, with high-level military visits aimed at deepening defence relations and exploring potential procurement opportunities from India.

On Wednesday, Brazilian Air Force Commander Lieutenant Brigadier Marcelo Kanitz Damasceno met with Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi. The meeting highlighted Brazil’s interest in India’s defence products and platforms and discussed ways to enhance bilateral defence cooperation. This dialogue marks an important step forward in the increasingly robust defence relationship between the two nations.

Series of High-Level Military Visits from Brazil

This latest visit by the Brazilian Air Force Chief is part of a broader pattern of high-level military engagements between the two nations. Since August 2023, Brazil has sent multiple top defence officials to India, each focused on exploring different areas of collaboration:

Brazilian Army Chief (Aug 28 – Sept 2, 2023): Strengthened ties between the two armies, focusing on technical cooperation and joint training programs.
Navy Vice-Chief (Sept 4-6, 2023): Discussed naval collaboration, particularly in the area of maritime security.
Navy Chief Admiral Marcos Sampaio Olsen (August 19-24, 2024): Focused on enhancing maritime cooperation, including operational engagements and technical exchanges.
Army Vice-Chief (Sept 25-27, 2023): Reviewed potential collaboration in ground defence technologies.

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These visits underscore Brazil’s strategic interest in India’s defence capabilities and highlight the strong momentum behind this bilateral relationship.

Strengthening Defence Cooperation: Key Platforms in Focus

Brazil’s defence interests in India are multifaceted, with an emphasis on technology transfer and platform procurement. During his visit, Lieutenant Brigadier Damasceno toured key defence installations, including Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Bangalore, where India’s premier defence systems are developed.

According to a senior diplomat, the Brazilian Air Force Commander has shown particular interest in several Indian defence products, including the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, which represents India’s capability to produce indigenous fighter jets. Additionally, Brazil has shown interest in the Prachand and Rudra attack helicopters.

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“The Air Chief is keen to emphasize the Brazilian offer of both the E-145 for the NETRA program and the C-390 for India’s Multi-Role Transport Aircraft (MTA) program. He showed interest in Indian defence products, especially the Tejas,” stated a top diplomat, emphasizing the wide-ranging scope of discussions.

Brazil Attends India’s Largest Air Exercise as Observer

Lieutenant Brigadier Damasceno’s visit to India also includes observing Exercise Tarang Shakti on Thursday (Sept 12, 2024), India’s largest multinational air exercise currently taking place in Jodhpur. This exercise, involving ten countries with deployed assets, showcases India’s advanced air capabilities, including the Tejas, Su-30 MKI, Mirage-2000, Rafale, and AWACS systems, among others. Brazil’s presence as an observer reflects its interest in understanding India’s operational capabilities and strengthening joint military exercises in the future.

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Brazil’s participation in defence exercises, even as an observer, is a significant indication of the country’s growing focus on joint operational engagements. This engagement comes on the heels of similar visits by the Brazilian Navy and Army leadership, further reinforcing the strategic intent to build robust defence cooperation.

A Long History of Collaboration

India and Brazil share a deep and multifaceted relationship, which extends beyond defence cooperation. The two countries have been `Strategic Partners since 2006’ and collaborate in various multilateral forums, including BRICS, G-20, IBSA, and the International Solar Alliance. However, defence cooperation has been a core element of this partnership since the `2003 defence cooperation agreement’, which formalized collaboration between the two countries’ militaries. Since then, seven meetings of the Joint Defence Committee (JDC) have taken place, with the most recent held in New Delhi in December 2021.

Anticipation Ahead of Modi-Lula Meeting

The upcoming BRICS Summit, where Prime Minister Modi and President Lula are expected to meet on the sidelines, will likely further accelerate defence cooperation between India and Brazil. Defence is expected to be a key agenda item as both countries seek to leverage their strategic partnership. India’s defence manufacturing sector, particularly its indigenous platforms, offers Brazil cost-effective and reliable solutions to meet its own defence requirements.

For Brazil, which has been modernizing its armed forces, India represents a key partner capable of providing advanced technologies while fostering deeper defence-industrial cooperation. As the diplomatic and defence engagements between the two countries continue to expand, the Modi-Lula meeting could serve as a significant milestone in shaping the future of India-Brazil defence relations.