New Delhi [India], October 31 (ANI): Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Secretary (East) Rudrendra Tandon highlighted the strong strategic partnership between India and Brazil, underlining their historical ties, growing high-level engagements and expanding cooperation across key sectors, including defence, aerospace and space.

'This is truly a strategic relationship that enhances the ability of both India and Brazil every single day to deal with the rapid and very challenging geopolitical changes that are now taking place all around us,' MEA Secretary (East) said. 

Addressing Brazil's National Day celebrations in New Delhi on Friday, Tandon conveyed India's warm wishes to the people and government of Brazil on the occasion of the country's Republic Day.

'It is my honour to convey, on behalf of the people of India and the government of India, our warm wishes and felicitations to the people of Brazil and the government of Brazil on the occasion of your Republic Day,' he said.

He also congratulated Brazil on the successful conclusion of its presidential elections and extended India's wishes to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva for his next presidency.

'I would also like to congratulate the people of Brazil on the successful presidential elections that have just been concluded in your country, and of course, our best wishes and felicitations to His Excellency President Lula da Silva for his next presidency after this remarkable election,' Tandon said.

Highlighting the longstanding relationship between the two countries, the MEA Secretary noted that Brazil was independent India's first embassy in the South American continent, emphasising their shared history, global interests and mutually beneficial cooperation.

'India's relations with Brazil have always been special. Brazil was independent India's first embassy in the South American continent. We are linked by history. We are linked by global interests, and we are linked by mutually beneficial cooperation. And we are also linked by very frequent contacts at the highest levels of our respective political leadership,' he said.

Highlighting the partnership as strategic, Tandon said the close cooperation between the two countries strengthened their ability to navigate the rapidly changing geopolitical landscape.

Looking ahead, Tandon emphasised that both countries had an ambitious bilateral agenda, including expanding economic engagement and cooperation in strategic sectors.

He highlighted the USD 30 billion trade target set by the two countries' leaders for 2030, alongside plans to deepen cooperation in defence, aerospace and space.

'We still have much work to do ahead of us, both bilaterally and at the international level. We have an ambitious trade target of 30 billion dollars to be achieved by 2030 that has been set by the two leaders. But in addition, we have an ambitious bilateral cooperation agenda in the field of defence, aerospace, space, and other areas that are vital for the security of both Brazil and India,' he added.

Meanwhile,  Brazil's Ambassador to India, Kenneth Felix Haczynski da Nobrega, highlighted the growing strategic and economic partnership between the two countries, saying bilateral trade is expected to soon reach USD 20 billion, with cooperation expanding across critical minerals, defence, energy, pharmaceuticals and artificial intelligence.

Addressing an event to celebrate Brazil's National Day, the envoy said the two countries were entering a new phase of bilateral engagement ahead of the upcoming 80th anniversary of diplomatic relations, with political commitment and growing business ties providing fresh momentum to the partnership.

"Political vision and business dynamism are converging to take Brazil-India relations to a new level," he said, underlining the growing economic engagement between the two countries.

Highlighting India's emergence as Brazil's fifth-largest trading partner, the ambassador said concrete progress had also been made in negotiations to expand the trade agreement between India and the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR).

On cooperation in emerging technologies and strategic sectors, da Nobrega said India and Brazil were strengthening partnerships in energy, defence, agriculture, healthcare, digital infrastructure and artificial intelligence.

"Just recently, we agreed to connect our efforts on rare earths and critical minerals. We also built new partnerships in pharmaceutical research and innovation, and launched a broad digital partnership," he said.

Describing mutual trust as a key strength of bilateral relations, he said the partnership had developed over eight decades and was now delivering tangible results in areas critical to the future competitiveness and resilience of both economies.

"In those uncertain years and in this uncertain world we are living in, trust is not just an asset; it is a strategic advantage," he said.

Reflecting on bilateral cooperation in multilateral forums, the Brazilian envoy praised India's leadership during its BRICS chairmanship, particularly its ability to bring member countries together for discussions on challenging global issues.

India and Brazil are key partners in the Global South and work closely across multilateral platforms, including BRICS, G20 and the United Nations. Both countries have been seeking to expand cooperation in trade, technology, energy transition and reform of global governance institutions. (ANI)