PM congratulates Brazil's Lula on election win, vows to deepen India-Brazil ties

In a message posted on social media platform X, PM Modi described Lula as his "dear friend" and congratulated him on what he called a "remarkable re-election victory."

In Short

• PM Modi vows to deepen the India-Brazil strategic partnership
• Both leaders aim to advance cooperation and Global South priorities
• Lula's Workers Party secured 51.79% of the votes in Brazil's election

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on winning an unprecedented fourth presidential term, after the 80-year-old leader defeated Senator Flavio Bolsonaro in a closely contested election that defied opinion polls.

Calling Lula his “dear friend”, PM Modi said he looked forward to working with the Brazilian leader to deepen the India-Brazil Strategic Partnership.

“Heartiest congratulations to my dear friend, President Lula, on his remarkable re-election victory,” PM Modi said in a post on X.

“I look forward to working closely with him to further deepen and expand the multifaceted India-Brazil Strategic Partnership,” he added.

PM Modi said the two countries would continue to strengthen cooperation across diverse sectors, advance the shared priorities of the Global South and work towards a more inclusive, equitable and sustainable world.

LULA DEFEATS BOLSONARO IN A CLOSE CONTEST

Lula secured another term after defeating Flavio Bolsonaro, the eldest son of former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, in Sunday's presidential runoff. The result marked a remarkable comeback for the veteran left-wing leader and went against a broader rightward shift in Latin American politics.

Flvio Bolsonaro had finished ahead of Lula in the first round of voting and sought to revive his father's far-right political movement. However, Lula's better-than-expected performance in the runoff helped him secure victory despite concerns over rising prices, corruption scandals and dissatisfaction with his government's performance.

Lula, who served as president from 2003 to 2011, returned to power in 2023 after defeating Jair Bolsonaro in the 2022 election. His political career has been marked by repeated comebacks, including his return to electoral politics after corruption convictions were overturned.

His victory also makes him the first candidate since Brazil's return to democracy in the 1980s to win the presidency after finishing second in the first round.

However, Lula faces significant challenges during his fourth term. His government will have to navigate economic pressures, including high interest rates, rising public debt and household borrowing, while dealing with a conservative Congress that could make it difficult to push through his legislative agenda.

INDO-BRAZIL STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP

India and Brazil maintain a strategic partnership covering areas such as trade, investment, energy, defence, agriculture and technology. Both countries also work together on issues concerning developing nations and advocate a greater role for the Global South in international decision-making.

PM Modi's message signalled India's intention to build on ties with Brazil and expand cooperation across sectors. He also emphasised the two countries' shared priorities in advancing a more inclusive and equitable international order.

The partnership between the two major emerging economies is significant for their economic cooperation as well as their coordination in multilateral forums.

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