India-Brazil Strategic Partnership 

Syllabus: GS2/ International Relations

Context

• India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar co-chaired the 9th India-Brazil Joint Commission with his Brazilian counterpart Mauro Vieira in New Delhi.

About

• India’s External Affairs  Minister said that The India-Brazil strategic partnership has “deepened and diversified” over the years. It spans defense, space, security, technology, and people-to-people relations, strengthening ties across various domains.
• India reiterated its full support to the Brazilian G20 presidency as it is currently the chair of the bloc.
  • The G20 presidency was relayed to Brazil by India last year.

Major Highlights of India and Brazil Relations

• Strategic Partnership: Relations were established in 1948, and the two countries have been Strategic Partners since 2006.
  • Both sides also have several Joint Working Groups to take forward sectoral cooperation. 
• Trade Relations: In 2022, the bilateral trade expanded by 32% to US$15.2 billion (India’s exports US$8.8 billion & Imports – US$6.4 billion).
  • India and Brazil have established Trade Monitoring Mechanism as an institutional mechanism to monitor and identify bottlenecks in bilateral trade and take appropriate measures to address them. 
• Defence & Security Cooperation: India and Brazil signed an agreement in 2003 for cooperation in defense. Meetings of the Joint Defence Committee (JDC) are held as an institutionalized mechanism for defense cooperation. 
• Security Cooperation: India and Brazil established a Strategic Dialogue mechanism in 2006 to cover regional and global issues of mutual concern.
  • The two countries have an Extradition Treaty, Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty in Criminal Matters and an Agreement of Transfer of Sentenced Persons in place.
• Space Cooperation: India and Brazil signed a framework agreement for peaceful use of outer space in 2004 as well an Agreement for inter-institutional cooperation between the space agencies.
  • Both countries have been collaborating in Data sharing and satellite tracking of Indian satellites. 
• Multifora Relations: India and Brazil share a very close and multifaceted relationship both at bilateral level as well as in plurilateral fora such as BRICS, BASIC (a bloc consisting of Brazil, South Africa, India and China), G-20, G-4, IBSA, International Solar Alliance, as well as in the larger multilateral bodies such as the UN, WTO, UNESCO, and WIPO. 

Challenges in the Relations

• Geopolitical Competition: Both India and Brazil are emerging powers with aspirations for greater global influence. This leads to competition, particularly in international forums like the United Nations, where both countries seek greater representation and influence.
• Trade Barriers: Trade between India and Brazil has not reached its full potential, partly due to various trade barriers and protectionist measures in both countries. These barriers hinder the growth of bilateral trade and investment.
• Infrastructure and Connectivity: Improving infrastructure and connectivity between the two countries remains a challenge.

Way Ahead

• Overcoming the challenges requires sustained diplomatic efforts, enhanced economic cooperation, and a commitment to finding common ground on global issues. 
• Despite the obstacles, the potential benefits of a stronger India-Brazil partnership make overcoming these challenges a worthwhile endeavor.

Source: TH