Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin on Wednesday began his two-day visit to India aimed at deepening trade, defence, and strategic cooperation between the two nations. The visit is expected to further strengthen the multifaceted India-Brazil Strategic Partnership, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

Alckmin, who also serves as Brazil’s Minister of Development, Industry, Trade, and Services, will co-chair the inaugural Trade Ministerial Review Meeting with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday, focusing on expanding bilateral trade and investments.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to meet Alckmin on Wednesday, joined by Brazilian Defence Minister Jose Mucio Monteiro Filho, to review defence ties, including military cooperation, technology exchange, and defence production.

During his visit, Alckmin will also meet Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and Petroleum Minister Hardeep S. Puri to discuss key areas of collaboration such as energy, innovation, and industrial development.

The Brazilian Vice President will attend the India-Brazil Business Forum and visit the All India Institute of Ayurveda, underlining growing cooperation in healthcare and traditional medicine.

According to the MEA, Brazil remains India’s largest trade partner in South America, with bilateral trade reaching $12.19 billion in FY 2024–25. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Brazil, both nations set a trade target of $20 billion within five years and agreed to establish a Ministerial Review Mechanism to oversee progress.

Earlier this month, officials from both sides met under the India-Brazil Trade Monitoring Mechanism (TMM) to outline a roadmap covering key sectors like pharmaceuticals, petrochemicals, MSMEs, and banking.

The visit underscores India’s growing outreach to Latin America under its global diversification strategy, as Brazil emerges as a vital partner in trade, energy, and strategic cooperation.