Brazil Strengthens Ties With India and China Amid US Tensions

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva coordinated a series of strategic diplomatic engagements with India and China in late January 2026 to counter U.S. influence and protect the interests of the Global South. On January 22, Lula held a telephone call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to finalize a state visit to New Delhi scheduled for February 19 to 21. The leaders agreed to prioritize cooperation in defense, health, and energy, while aiming to increase bilateral trade to $20 billion by 2030.

On January 23, Lula spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping to deepen bilateral ties and reaffirm their commitment to a shared future. The discussion focused on safeguarding the central role of the United Nations and defending free trade. As a reciprocal gesture to China's visa policies, Lula announced that Brazil will grant short-term visa exemptions for Chinese citizens.

These diplomatic pivots follow significant friction with the United States. Brazil and China criticized the seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces and the imposition of 50 percent U.S. tariffs on Brazilian products in July 2025. Both Lula and Xi specifically challenged President Donald Trump's proposed Board of Peace, which Brazil's special adviser Celso Amorim described as an unacceptable unilateral reform of the UN. The leaders pledged to utilize the BRICS framework to maintain global stability and resist what Lula termed as hegemonic endeavors.