PM Modi Congratulates Lula on Re-Election, Looks to Deepen India-Brazil Ties

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday congratulated Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on his re-election, expressing his desire to strengthen the India-Brazil Strategic Partnership and advance shared priorities of the Global South.

“Heartiest congratulations to my dear friend, President Lula, on his remarkable re-election victory,” PM Modi said in a post on X. He added that the two countries would continue to expand cooperation across sectors and work towards “a more inclusive, equitable and sustainable world”.

BRICS AND THE GLOBAL SOUTH

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said Lula’s victory had implications beyond Brazil’s domestic politics, particularly for BRICS and the grouping’s push for a more multipolar world order.

Lula’s leadership, Tharoor said, would reinforce Brazil’s commitment to multipolarity and strengthen BRICS as a voice for the Global South in debates over international trade and global governance.

He also highlighted Lula’s emphasis on social inclusion, economic justice and poverty alleviation, describing his return to office as a renewed focus on the interests of working-class and poorer Brazilians.

CHALLENGE FOR TIES WITH WASHINGTON

Tharoor said Lula’s victory could complicate Brazil’s relations with the US, which had openly backed his rival. He noted that trade disputes and tariff tensions could continue, while Lula’s foreign policy was likely to prioritise national sovereignty.

“It’s also a challenge for ties with Washington,” Tharoor said, adding that Lula’s approach would continue to place national sovereignty above subservience.

He described the result as a choice for social progress, democratic resilience and international cooperation amid the rise of right-wing political forces across Latin America.

LULA VOWS TO RESIST FOREIGN INTERVENTION

Lula, 80, a former factory worker and leader of the Workers’ Party (PT), won the presidential run-off against far-right candidate Flavio Bolsonaro after a closely contested election.

In a message thanking his supporters, Lula credited young people who took to the streets in defence of democracy and voters who, he said, had helped secure a more just and democratic future for Brazil.

“Brazil is no one's backyard,” Lula said after his victory on Sunday, arguing that his campaign had defeated foreign intervention through digital platforms. He also pledged to increase public participation in government decision-making.

Lula said the election had demonstrated the importance of voting in safeguarding democracy, adding that his government would seek to involve citizens more directly in shaping the country’s future.

With inputs from ANI