Speeches/Statements

My brothers and sisters,

It is a great honour for me to address Indian community and friends of India in Brazil, once again, on this solemn occasion of 77th Republic Day of India.

There has been a hectic pace of activities between India and Brazil, the two strategic partners, since my joining. You would all recall that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji visited Brazil and paid a State Visit to Brasilia on 8 July 2025; a State Visit after a gap of 57 years. The visit further deepened the strategic partnership between the two large democracies connected by two oceans.

Prime Minister’s visit was soon followed by that of Vice-President of Brazil Geraldo Alckmin, in October 2025, who took along with him a high-level delegation comprising José Múcio, Minister of Defence and Alexandre Padilha, Minister of Health besides top military leadership and senior officials from various organs of the Government of Brazil. This visit focussed on broadening the bilateral trade and economic relationship.

Due to a series of measures undertaken by both Governments and their endeavour to provide an enabling platform to businesses, our trade rose to USD 15.21 billion in 2025 registering an increase of 25.5% and catapulting India as the 5th largest trading partner of Brazil from 9th position in 2024. I must add that we are well on our way to achieve the target of USD 20 billion trade, set by our two leaders.

India-Brazil partnership is growing rapidly to include deeper discussions on various sectors including digital cooperation, healthcare and traditional medicine, energy, defence partnership, cyber-dialogue and mining & minerals besides the traditional areas of trade & investment, science & technology, agriculture, etc.

I take this opportunity today to thank the government of Brazil led by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, his entire Cabinet, the Congress and the Senate as well as the State Governments for giving my wife Seema Bhatia and me a welcome with open arms to ensure that I fulfil my mandate as plenipotentiary Ambassador of India in the most successful manner.

For the Indian community and Friends of India, I reiterate that my Embassy in Brasilia and my Consulate in São Paulo are at your service, be it in Consular or Commercial areas or to broaden people-to-people relationship.

Thank you all for your participation this morning. I wish to take this opportunity, on behalf of my wife, my Embassy team and on my own behalf, to wish success, prosperity, peace and, above all, health to you and to your families.

Dhanyawad. Namaskar!
Kindly repeat after me – JAI HIND – 3 TIMES