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India and Brazil have taken a significant step forward in deepening their maritime and defence partnership, with a series of concrete outcomes emerging from high-level naval engagements in Brazil ahead of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s proposed visit to India next year.
A key highlight of the engagements was the signing of the first-ever tripartite Memorandum of Understanding with a South American country, between the Indian Navy, the Brazilian Navy, and Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) during Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Naval Staff of the Indian Navy, official visit to Brazil from December 9-12. The purpose of this visit was to strengthen the maritime partnership between India and Brazil.
The landmark agreement provides a framework for the exchange of information on the maintenance and life-cycle support of Scorpène-class submarines and other naval platforms, enhancing logistics, training, experience sharing, and Defence R&D collaboration. The MoU marks a decisive shift towards deeper industry-to-industry cooperation alongside expanding Navy-to-Navy ties.
Navy Chief’s visit also resulted in agreement to expand operational engagements and training exchanges, with both sides committing to greater cooperation in hydrography, information sharing, Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) and capacity building. These initiatives aim to improve interoperability and strengthen maritime security cooperation across the Indo-Pacific and the South Atlantic, reflecting shared strategic interests.
High-level discussions led by Admiral Tripathi with Brazil’s defence and political leadership reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral defence cooperation, including maritime security mechanisms, defence industrial collaboration and strategic coordination between the two oceanic regions. The talks underlined India and Brazil’s growing alignment as leading voices of the Global South and their intent to play a larger role in shaping maritime governance and security.
The engagements also focused on strengthening institutional and professional linkages. Visits to key Brazilian naval facilities by the CNS, including the Itaguaí Naval Complex and the amphibious helicopter carrier NAM Atlântico (A140), provided insight into Brazil’s naval capabilities, while interaction with officer cadets at the Brazilian Naval Academy highlighted the emphasis on long-term training and people-to-people cooperation.
The outcomes of the Navy Chief’s visit signal a clear intent to elevate India–Brazil maritime cooperation to a more structured and strategic level, setting the stage for further announcements and initiatives during President Lula’s anticipated visit to India next year.
Team BharatShakti
