PM Modi arrives in Brazil to take part in BRICS Summit

Rio de Janeiro: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived here in Brazil on a four-day visit, during which he will participate in the 17th BRICS Summit and undertake a state visit.

PM Modi was accorded a ceremonial welcome upon his arrival at the Galeao International Airport on Saturday evening (local time). The Prime Minister’s visit came at the invitation of Brazilian President Luiz Incio Lula da Silva.

This is the fourth leg of his five-nation visit.

Taking to social media platform X, PM Modi said: “Landed in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where I will take part in the BRICS Summit and later go to their capital, Brasília, for a state visit on the invitation of President Lula. Hoping for a productive round of meetings and interactions during this visit.”

“Committed to BRICS partnership! PM @narendramodi lands in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for the 17th BRICS Summit. #BRICS2025,” Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X.

PM Modi arrived here from Argentina, where he held wide-ranging talks with President Javier Milei and agreed to diversify two-way trade and ramp up cooperation in defence, critical minerals, pharmaceutical, energy and mining sectors.

During his visit, PM Modi will attend the BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro on July 6 and 7, followed by a state visit, for which he will travel to Brasilia. It will be the first bilateral visit to the country by an Indian Prime Minister in nearly six decades.

BRICS, consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, has been expanded with five additional members: Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, making it one of the most influential alliances of emerging economies worldwide.

This is PM Modi’s fourth visit to Brazil.

The Prime Minister is also likely to hold several bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the Summit.

For the State Visit to Brazil, Prime Minister Modi will travel to Brasilia where he will hold bilateral discussions with President Lula da Silva on the broadening of the strategic partnership between the two countries in areas of mutual interest, including trade, defence, energy, space, technology, agriculture, health and people-to-people linkages.

In a statement before leaving for the five-nation tour, PM Modi said that as a founding member of BRICS, India is committed to the bloc as a vital platform for cooperation among emerging economies.

“Together, we strive for a more peaceful, equitable, just, democratic and balanced multipolar world order,” he said.

Prior to Brazil, Prime Minister Modi visited Ghana on July 2-3 at the invitation of President John Dramani Mahama, where he also addressed the country’s Parliament. On July 3-4, he travelled to Trinidad and Tobago, meeting President Christine Carla Kangaloo and Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

Argentina was his next destination, marking the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the country in 57 years. The last leg of PM Modi’s five-nation tour will be to Namibia.

–IANS