Brazilian President Lula President PM Modi speaks over the phone as looms 50% Trump tariffs
Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a call from Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Inacio Lula Da Silva on Thursday. The phone conversation comes after Modi’s official visit to Brazil last month, when India and Brazil faced the highest duty of U.S. President Donald Trump’s U.S.-focused trade policy.
PM Modi and President Lula discussed a range of topics on the phone, covering trade cooperation, technology, energy, defense, agriculture and health. The Prime Minister recalled that during his visit to Brazil, the two leaders reached a framework to strengthen cooperation in these areas.
During an official visit to Brazil, Prime Minister Modi met Lula in Brasilia.
Their dialogue covers a range of regional and global issues, the official statement said.
Both leaders reiterated their commitment to take the strategic partnership between the two sides to a new level.
What else has Prime Minister Modi discussed with Brazilian President Lula?
Both leaders reiterated their commitment to increase bilateral trade by more than $20 billion a year by 2030. This marks a significant increase in the growth of $12 billion last year.
“The two leaders exchanged views on various regional and global interests” without explicitly mentioning Trump or U.S. tariffs,” Prime Minister Modi’s office said.
PM Modi is preparing for his first visit to China in more than seven years, indicating growing tensions with Washington.
Brazilian President Lula visits India in early 2026
Lula’s office confirmed his state-owned visit to India in early 2026.
Latest Trump triggers tariff turmoil
On Wednesday, the 47th U.S. President announced 25% of Indian goods on duty, with a total obligation to import from India to the United States to 50%.
Additional tariffs will come into effect on August 28.
50% of the duties are designed to punish India’s continued oil trade relations with Russia.
Despite Trump’s stance on buying oil from Russia in light of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine and despite India’s stance on buying oil from Russia, India has been firmly consistent on the subject, saying the tariffs are “unfair, unreasonable and unreasonable”.
“We have made clear our position on these issues, including that our imports are based on market factors and are based on ensuring the energy security of 1.4 billion Indian people,” the Ministry of External Affairs said this week.
