Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, during his visit to New Delhi, reaffirmed Brazil’s stance that BRICS remains committed to multilateralism and global cooperation, contrary to recent criticism from President Donald Trump.

He stressed that the grouping is not directed against any nation and instead seeks to promote free trade and inclusive global development.

President Trump had, earlier in the week, described BRICS as “an attack on the dollar” during his meeting with Argentine President Javier Milei. He asserted that nations attempting to join the ten-member grouping would face US tariffs, arguing that BRICS aligns against US strategic and economic interests. Trump maintained that the dollar remains the strongest global currency, and those operating within its system enjoy a clear advantage.

Responding to these remarks, Vice President Alckmin clarified that BRICS advocates cooperative global trade, not currency competition. He outlined the recent revival of regional partnerships led by Brazil through MERCOSUR, pointing out that after a long pause in new agreements, several deals have been successfully concluded.

These include the MERCOSUR-Singapore accord in 2023, as well as the MERCOSUR-EFTA agreement involving Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, and Liechtenstein. He also mentioned ongoing negotiations with the EU, Arab Emirates, and Canada.

Highlighting regional expansion, Alckmin confirmed that Bolivia had recently joined MERCOSUR, increasing its membership beyond the core nations of Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay. He noted that Brazil’s partnership with India through MERCOSUR is currently limited in scope but will be deepened within ten months through expanded tariff lines and preferential trade terms.

Economic cooperation between India and Brazil was a major focus of his visit. Bilateral trade, which reached USD 12 billion last year, is expected to rise to USD 15 billion by the end of 2025, with ambitions to achieve USD 20 billion in the near future.

To build business confidence, both governments signed two agreements — an investment facilitation pact and a double taxation avoidance agreement — during Alckmin’s stay. He also announced a new business eVisa to simplify travel for Indian investors and entrepreneurs.

Energy and industrial collaboration saw notable progress. Petrobras, Brazil’s state-run oil giant, signed a deal to supply India with six million barrels of oil in exchange for diesel imports. Meanwhile, Brazilian aerospace company Embraer established a new office in New Delhi and entered into a cooperation framework with Mahindra in the fields of defence and aeronautics.

The partnership will explore possibilities for local production of the Embraer KC390 tactical transport aircraft, already in widespread service in Brazil.

Alckmin underlined that Brazil and India share a vision of complementary economic growth, particularly in the agricultural sector. He praised India’s leadership in global food production while pointing to Brazil’s own 16 per cent agricultural growth as evidence of shared success in sustainable expansion.

Concluding his three-day visit, Alckmin expressed optimism for the future of India–Brazil cooperation and the wider BRICS framework. He revealed that the two countries are exploring the launch of a direct flight between India and Brasilia to enhance business and cultural links.

Emphasising goodwill and partnership, he described the visit as the start of a “new chapter” in bilateral relations ahead of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s planned visit to India in February 2026.

Based On ANI Report