New Delhi [India], October 16 (ANI): Brazilian Vice President and Minister of Development, Industry, Trade and Services, Geraldo Alckmin, arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday to strengthen bilateral cooperation between India and Brazil.

In a post on X, Randhir Jaiswal, the Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, said, 'Adding momentum to the India-Brazil Strategic Partnership.'

https://x.com/MEAIndia/status/1978400033382048199

The post also mentioned that Geraldo Alckmin has arrived in New Delhi, highlighting the visit as a step to strengthen the India-Brazil Strategic Partnership.

Images shared in the post showed Alckmin being received at the airport, where he was greeted by officials and accorded a ceremonial welcome upon his arrival.

Alckmin, accompanied by his wife Maria Lucia Alckmin, is on an official visit to India from October 15 to 17. During the three-day visit, he is scheduled to meet key Indian leaders and ministers to enhance cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

On October 15, Alckmin met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. On October 16, he will call on Vice President CP Radhakrishnan and hold separate meetings with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri to discuss trade, industry, and energy collaboration.

The visit will conclude on October 17 with Alckmin's meeting with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.

The high-level visit comes soon after the sixth India-Brazil Strategic Dialogue, held in New Delhi on October 3, where senior officials from both sides reviewed cooperation in key areas such as defence and security, energy, rare earths, critical minerals, health, and pharmaceuticals. The discussions were led by India's National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Brazil's Ambassador Celso Luis Nunes Amorim.

Talks during the dialogue also covered coordination on multilateral platforms including BRICS, IBSA, and the upcoming COP-30 climate conference, which Brazil will host in November. The discussions reaffirmed the shared commitment to advancing the vision set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Trade and economic relations are expected to be a major focus of Alckmin's visit. Both countries are working to strengthen bilateral trade and reduce reliance on external markets amid the global tariff environment.

Economic engagement between India and Brazil has continued to grow. During Prime Minister Modi's state visit to Brazil in July, the two leaders set a target of raising bilateral trade to USD 20 billion within five years. In FY 2024-25, merchandise trade between the two nations reached USD 12.19 billion, making Brazil India's largest trading partner in Latin America and the Caribbean, according to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Alckmin's visit will also review the outcomes of the seventh India-Brazil Trade Monitoring Mechanism (TMM) meeting, held in Delhi on October 7. The meeting, co-chaired by Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal and Brazil's Secretary of Foreign Trade Tatiana Lacerda Prazeres, covered trade and investment relations, market access, and the expansion of the India-MERCOSUR PTA.

Both sides also discussed cooperation across sectors including pharmaceuticals, healthcare, chemicals, petrochemicals, MSMEs, banking, finance, and internal trade, along with visa facilitation and multilateral coordination.

Vice President Alckmin's visit is expected to further deepen the India-Brazil partnership and set the stage for Brazilian President Lula's upcoming state visit to India next year, continuing the implementation of the roadmap outlined during the Modi-Lula summit in July. (ANI)