Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, during his ongoing visit to Brazil, engaged in significant discussions with Admiral Marcos Sampaio Olsen, Commander of the Brazilian Navy.

Their meetings centred on enhancing and expanding defence cooperation between the two navies, encompassing numerous key areas such as defence industry collaboration, technology development, innovation, exchange of best practices, and capacity building.

The Indian Navy spokesperson shared details of the meeting on the social media platform X, highlighting that the discussions aimed at strengthening the already growing India-Brazil naval cooperation.

Particular emphasis was placed on operational engagements, training exchanges, hydrographic collaboration, information sharing, and improving Maritime Domain Awareness. These topics reflect the deepening strategic partnership and the intent to enhance bilateral naval capabilities and coordination.

The engagement at this apex level reaffirms the mutual determination of both navies to boost strategic convergence, thereby deepening the India-Brazil maritime partnership. This collaboration is seen as pivotal to maintaining stability in the global maritime commons, with a specific focus on benefiting the Global South. The growing partnership signifies shared interests in maritime security and a commitment to cooperate extensively in regional and international maritime matters.

A landmark development during Admiral Tripathi’s visit was the signing of a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Indian Navy, Brazilian Navy, and Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited.

This agreement pertains to the exchange of vital information related to the maintenance of Scorpène-class submarines and other naval vessels operated by both navies. The Indian Navy spokesperson emphasised that this MoU will significantly enhance life-cycle support for these platforms.

In addition to maintenance and logistics, the agreement aims to facilitate experience sharing in training and technical support, thus fostering stronger cooperation between the governmental agencies and defence industries of both countries.

The MoU also promises to boost Defence Research and Development (R&D) collaboration and encourage technological innovation. Such collaboration is crucial to ensuring the sustained operational readiness of the Scorpène-class submarines and other naval assets over their service life.

Admiral Tripathi’s visit is set against the backdrop of recent efforts to deepen bilateral naval relations. In November of this year, a 40-member delegation from Brazil’s Naval War College visited the Indian Naval Headquarters.

That visit focused on fostering training cooperation in the maritime domain and reflected a shared desire to strengthen ties through professional military education and exchanges.

Earlier this year, a Brazilian defence delegation, led by Admiral Guilherme Da Silva Coasta, the Head of Culture and Education of the Joint Staff of the Brazilian Armed Forces, visited the College of Defence Management at the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS) in India. This visit reinforced the continued dialogue and exchange of defence management best practices between the two nations.

In July, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Brazil marked a significant milestone in bilateral relations. During this visit, he and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva agreed to chart a strategic roadmap aimed at strengthening bilateral ties over the next decade. Defence and security were identified as one of the five priority pillars to guide this partnership.

The joint statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs dated from that visit underscored the recognition of convergent views and strategic complementarities in defence and security matters between India and Brazil. Both leaders welcomed the expanding defence cooperation, including growing participation in joint military exercises and the regular exchange of high-level defence delegations.

A notable advancement underpinning deeper cooperation was the signing of the Agreement on the Exchange and Mutual Protection of Classified Information. This agreement is expected to enable more profound collaboration across strategic defence areas, enhancing trust and safeguarding sensitive shared data.

Further, the establishment of a Bilateral Cybersecurity Dialogue between the two countries was warmly welcomed. This platform will facilitate deeper cooperation by enabling the exchange of information, experiences, and national perspectives on critical cybersecurity challenges, reflecting the evolving nature of modern defence cooperation.

These developments signify a robust and rapidly expanding partnership between the Indian and Brazilian navies.

Driven by mutual respect and convergent strategic interests, the ties promise to reinforce maritime security, foster innovation, and build long-term defence capabilities that contribute to regional and global stability.

Based On ANI Report