India-US trade: Amid worsening ties with the US after US President Donald Trump imposed 50 per cent tariffs on Indian imports, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is stepping up engagement with fellow BRICS nations. In the past 48 hours, he has spoken to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and is preparing to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin in the coming weeks.
BRICS countries facing 50% tariffs
This came just hours after the White House issued an Executive Order doubling tariffs on Indian goods, citing national security and foreign policy concerns linked to India’s continued imports of Russian oil.
On Thursday night, President Lula called PM Modi to discuss the “imposition of unilateral tariffs” by the United States and explore closer integration between Brazil and India. Both countries have been hit with 50 per cent US tariffs, and Lula said they are “the two most affected nations” by the measures.
Talks with Brazil’s Lula
Backing India’s upcoming BRICS presidency, Lula accepted Modi’s invitation to visit India early next year. “I will call President Modi, I will call President Xi. Then I will call other presidents and I will discuss what each one is doing in this situation so we can make a decision,” Lula told reporters earlier this week.
During the hour-long conversation, the two leaders agreed to enhance cooperation in areas including trade, defence, energy, agriculture, critical minerals, health, technology, and digital inclusion. Vice-President Geraldo Alckmin will visit India in October for the Trade Monitoring Mechanism meeting, accompanied by ministers and business leaders from Brazil.
Lula has been openly critical of Trump, ruling out direct talks with the US president, which he said would end in “humiliation”. India, in contrast, has avoided public confrontation with Washington but described the tariffs as “unjustified”.
Modi later posted on X that a strong, people-centred partnership between nations of the Global South “benefits everyone”. He also recalled his recent visit to Brazil, where both sides agreed on a framework to strengthen ties in key sectors.
PM Modi’s upcoming meeting with Xi Jinping
Modi will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping later this month during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, scheduled for 31 August–1 September. The bilateral meeting, confirmed by Indian officials, was planned earlier but has gained new importance following the US tariff decision.
While India and China have significant differences on border and security issues, they remain key partners within BRICS and the SCO. The meeting is expected to cover trade, regional stability, and cooperation in multilateral forums.
Putin’s visit to India
Russian President Vladimir Putin is also set to visit India later this year, with dates being finalised. This will be his first trip to India since the Russia-Ukraine conflict began in 2022.
During talks in Moscow on Thursday, India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval told Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu that New Delhi was “excited and delighted” about the upcoming engagement. He described past India-Russia summits as “watershed moments” and stressed the importance of the next meeting.
Putin’s visit comes at a sensitive moment, as Washington links its tariffs on Indian goods to New Delhi’s continued imports of Russian oil. The US has also threatened secondary sanctions on buyers of Russian crude unless Moscow agrees to end the war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year.
BRICS agenda
India, Brazil, China, and Russia are founding members of the BRICS grouping, which Trump has criticised as “anti-US”. Both Brazil and India have been targeted with the same 50 per cent tariff rate. Strengthening commercial ties was a priority during Modi’s visit to Brasilia in July, and Thursday’s call with Lula reaffirmed the push for deeper cooperation.
The leaders also discussed expanding India’s trade deal with Mercosur, the South American customs union that includes Brazil, and explored integration of digital payment systems, such as Brazil’s Pix.
PM Modi’s series of engagements with BRICS leaders highlights India’s effort to reinforce alternative alliances. As the US tariffs take effect, New Delhi is seeking to bolster economic and political support among partners facing similar challenges from Washington.