India may attempt to readjust its global partnership after Trump’s tariff salvo on Indian goods.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Brazilian President Luis Inacio “Lulla” da Silva spoke on the phone, saying their offices discussed a wide range of topics, including tariffs imposed by the US on goods from both countries.
Lula confirmed the state’s visit to India in early 2026 during a Thursday call that occurred a day after Brazilian leader told Reuters that he would begin a conversation between the BRICS groups by working on the taxation of Brazil and India’s best President Donald Trump.
Major emerging economies groups include China, Russia and South Africa.
“Leaders discussed the international economic scenario and the imposition of unilateral tariffs. Brazil and India are both the most affected countries to date,” Lula’s office said in a statement.
Trump announced a 25% tariff on Indian goods on Wednesday, increasing its total obligation to 50%. On August 28, the additional tariffs aim to punish India for continuing to buy Russian oil, Trump said.
Trump also slapped 50% tariffs on goods from Brazil, linking the low levels of sectors like aircraft, energy and orange juice to what he called the “witch hunt” against former president Jia Bolsonaro, a right-wing ally, in the trial of a coup plot to overturn the loss of elections in 2022.
According to the Brazilian president’s office, Lula and Modi reiterated their goal of increasing bilateral trade to more than $200 billion a year by 2030, up from around $12 billion last year.
Brasilia also agreed to expand the scope of the preferred trade agreement between India and South American trade bloc Mercosur, saying it had discussed its country’s virtual payment platform.
Modi’s office did not expressly mention Trump or US tariffs in its statement, but said “the two leaders exchanged opinions on various regional and global issues of mutual interest.”
India has already shown that it could attempt to readjust its global partnership after Trump’s tariff salvo on Indian goods.
Modi has been preparing for his first visit to China for over seven years, suggesting the possibility of a diplomatic restructuring amid growing tensions with Washington. The Indian leader visited Rula in Brasilia last month.
