In 2006, India and Brazil decided to elevate their bilateral relations to strategic partnership. In 2023 the two countries will celebrate 75 years of relationship. The two countries are now working together in various fields including agriculture, pharmaceuticals, bio-energy, defence and space cooperation. The South American nation has in recent years expanded its export of pulses to India and has also developed varieties which are suitable to the Indian market. In an exclusive interview Brazil’s Ambassador André Aranha Corrêa do Lago shares updates on various aspects of bilateral relations between the two countries with Huma Siddiqui.

Following are excerpts:

What is the update on the Plan of Action for the Brazil-India strategic partnership, which was signed in 2020, during the visit of President Jair Bolsonaro to India?

While the COVID-19 pandemic limited high-level and technical visits, online platforms made it possible to move forward with the Action Plan. We have seen that, for technical discussions, virtual meetings work particularly well since you can bring together all key participants, while in-person meetings many times have to rely on representatives or substitutes since it is more complicated to travel internationally. From bio-energy to cyber security, from defence to oil and gas, trade to culture, we have made substantial progress in virtually all elements of the Action Plan. Most recently, we have had Security Council consultations in Brasília and the meeting of the Joint Defence Committee in New Delhi.

I would like to single out one area of cooperation that is particularly interesting: bio-energy. We have had a constant dialogue between stakeholders in Brazil and India on this topic, focusing on flex-fuel technologies, sustainable aviation fuels, second-generation ethanol and in helping India meet its ambitious blending goals. In March, the Embassy and Indian partners are organising a workshop bringing together experts to debunk myths around ethanol, and we expect to have the Brazilian Minister of Energy here.  This progress puts the Strategic Partnership in a very good position ahead of the forthcoming visit of EAM Dr S Jaishankar to Brasília. He will co-chair the Brazil-India Joint Commission along with Brazilian Minister for Foreign Affairs Carlos França, taking stock of the Action Plan and setting future priorities. I am sure that there will be plenty of work ahead of the celebration of the 75 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2023.

Brazil is exporting beans and pulses to India. This is considered to be a big potential area of trade between the two countries and the region.  What are the plans for the future?

Brazil and India are both agriculture superpowers, and we are ready to share our experience and complement Indian production with quality, sustainable agriculture products. We are also keen to learn a lot from India. Pulses are the most affordable source of protein for most people here. Brazil, as a traditional supplier of cowpea beans and Rajma to India, has already expanded our exports to other pulses such as Mung beans. Brazil’s Agriculture Research Corporation– Embrapa – has, in cooperation with Indian institutions, developed varieties specifically suitable for India, and Brazilian producers are planting pulses that are not eaten in Brazil only to cater to the important Indian market. Despite record Brazilian exports to India last year – USD 100 million worth of pulses, more than double the average of the previous three years – Brazil still has a small share of the local pulse market (only 5 percent of total imports). There is room to increase this share, including by diversifying Brazilian products available to the Indian consumer. More predictable medium to long-term trade rules are key for Brazilian producers. We expect to play an increasing role in providing high quality, diverse and nutritious agricultural products to India.

India-Mercosur PTA expansion talks: Is there any progress?

Both Brazil and India have dynamic and complex economies with competitive sectors that can benefit from stronger trade and investment links and from the reduction of tariffs and other trade barriers. Our leaders have given us a clear mandate to increase trade between our two countries, and we are working towards that. Brazil is a member of MERCOSUR, with Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay; we negotiate trade matters as a group. Our trade teams held a very positive initial discussion last semester, under the Brazilian chairmanship of MERCOSUR. We expect to soon lay the basis for the launch of negotiations for a free-trade agreement, towards a far more encompassing coverage of products and tariff reductions.

Space Cooperation: Any updates?

Last year Brazil’s Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Marcos Pontes, visited India for the very successful launch by ISRO of the first Brazilian-made earth observation satellite. This was the first dedicated commercial mission of New Space India Limited (NSIL), which underscores the importance of space cooperation between our countries. The entire technical delegation that came with the Minister shared with me their immense admiration for what India has achieved and have already started bilateral dialogues in many dimensions. We have also, for instance, worked with India to provide reception of remote sensing data and tracking services – we are proud that the Brazilian Space Agency provided support to Indian missions such as Chandrayaan-1, Megha Tropiques and ASTROSAT. Our current discussions include looking at procurement of material and systems for Brazil’s launch vehicle programme.

Celebrations are on for 200 years of Brazilian Independence this year.  What are the plans for strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries?

In 2022 Brasil is celebrating 200 years of independence. Brazil and India share a long history of friendship and political and economic bonds. Yet much of Brazil’s society, economy, history, creative thinking and arts, to name a few dimensions, are not as widely known here as they could be. To strengthen Brazil’s ties with India and its people, institutions and businesses, we are running a wide program of activities this year highlighting places, facts and individuals that make our country unique. Three exhibitions starting in New Delhi between February and April, are the visual expression of the program. The exhibitions will also travel to other cities in India, such as Chandigarh, Bengaluru and Kolkata. During this period, the Embassy will also hold a series of online and in-person debates to dive into Brazil’s contributions to the world in topics such as our vibrant science and technology ecosystem, our clean and innovative energy matrix, our dynamic industrial basis, Brazilian women’s contribution in various fields and – last but not least – football.