PM Modi’s BRICS Visit: Global South Cooperation, Reforms, and Strategic Partnerships on Agenda

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from July 5 to 8 to attend the 17th BRICS Summit, where forging deeper cooperation among Global South nations is expected to be high on the agenda.

During the summit, PM Modi will engage with leaders of eleven major emerging economies to discuss strengthening multilateralism, reforming global governance institutions, advancing climate action, ensuring the ethical use of artificial intelligence, enhancing global health, and driving financial collaboration.

On the sidelines of the summit, PM Modi will hold bilateral talks with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to deepen the India-Brazil Strategic Partnership. 

Discussions are likely to cover trade, defence, energy, agriculture, technology, space cooperation, and health.

The visit comes at a time when India-Brazil ties are expanding significantly. Bilateral trade reached USD 12.2 billion in FY 2024–25, with Indian firms investing across pharmaceuticals, automobiles, and energy.

Defence is also a priority area, with projects such as the co-development of Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft and Embraer’s MoU with Mahindra to collaborate on the C-390 Millennium Multi-Mission Transport Aircraft.

The BRICS Summit will be a key stop in PM Modi’s five-nation tour scheduled for July 2025. 

The trip begins in Ghana (July 2–3), marking the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the country in over three decades. 

He will then travel to Trinidad and Tobago (July 3–4) at the invitation of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, followed by Argentina (July 4–5) for talks with President Javier Milei.

After attending the BRICS Summit in Rio, PM Modi will conclude his tour with a visit to Namibia on July 9.

About BRICS

Founded by Brazil, Russia, India, and China, BRICS expanded in 2010 with South Africa’s inclusion. 

In a landmark 2024 decision, the bloc welcomed six new members Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

Collectively, BRICS countries account for nearly 49.5% of the global population, around 40% of global GDP, and 26% of world trade. Indonesia is also expected to join soon, following a unanimous decision in 2023.