On Sunday, October 25th, the political landscape of Brazil witnessed a dramatic conclusion to a tightly contested runoff election. Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the 80-year-old incumbent president, secured a historic fourth term in office. He defeated his political challenger, Flavio Bolsonaro—the son of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.

According to official electoral court records, Lula clinched the victory with 51.8% of the total vote, leaving Bolsonaro close behind with 48.2%. This electoral triumph quickly triggered a wave of international reactions. Among the global leaders sending prompt congratulatory messages was Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has developed a deep personal and diplomatic bond with the Brazilian leader over recent years.

Taking to public platforms, PM Modi shared a heartfelt message: “My sincerest congratulations to my dear friend, President Lula, on his remarkable victory in the re-election. I look forward to working in close collaboration with him to further deepen and expand the multifaceted Strategic Partnership between India and Brazil. Together, we will continue to strengthen our cooperation in various sectors, promote the shared priorities of the Global South, and work towards a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable world.”

The response from Brazil’s president was equally warm. He thanked the Indian Prime Minister and affectionately referred to him as “my friend.” Reflecting on their recent engagements, Lula noted, “I cherish with joy the visit I made to India in February this year, when we took new steps to strengthen our Strategic Partnership, especially in the areas of trade, health, and technology.”

Looking ahead to the diplomatic calendar, Lula also congratulated India on hosting the upcoming 2026 BRICS summit. He observed that India would be “continuing the work carried out by Brazil last year,” and affirmed that both nations will keep working closely within forums like the G20 and BRICS. Their shared mission, he stated, is to “defend multilateralism, amplify the voice of the Global South, and build a more just, inclusive, and peaceful international order.”

Despite the clear camaraderie between the two leaders, certain sections of the Indian political opposition chose a different narrative. Living in what many describe as an isolated echo chamber detached from geopolitical realities, these critics attempted to spin Lula’s electoral success in Brazil as a political and personal blow to PM Modi.

Pinarayi Vijayan, the former Chief Minister of Kerala and a veteran of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), used the international election results to target domestic opponents. He began by criticizing the “far right” globally before pivoting to his main objective: attacking the “Sangh Parivar” for its alleged divisive politics in India. Vijayan argued that Lula's victory provided “renewed hope in the struggle” against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in order to build “a more just and democratic India.”

This approach highlights a paradox that has contributed to the shrinking footprint of leftist politics in India. While focusing heavily on traditional religious organizations, these political groups often overlook significant security threats in their own backyards. For instance, Kerala has not only been a central base for the banned Popular Front of India (PFI), but official records show the state also produced the highest number of Indian recruits and related cases tied to ISIS (the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria). There is a growing public sentiment that real and present security threats are routinely ignored to protect specific vote banks, while majority communities are consistently singled out and criticized.

The political attacks continued with Amitabh Dubey, who handles research and monitoring for the All India Congress Committee. He was quick to criticize the Prime Minister, suggesting that Modi's “friends are losing,” a statement that completely ignored the well-documented, tight relationship Modi shares with Lula. For the opposition, the Brazilian election was celebrated as a much-needed morale boost for Rahul Gandhi’s struggling political prospects.

Observers note that this intense opposition to PM Modi often bleeds into a broader disdain for the Indian electorate, who have repeatedly rejected the Gandhi family scion. In their rush to score political points, these critics overlook a fundamental rule of governance: strong international ties are built to secure national interests. Unfortunately, for some political factions, this national priority is frequently pushed aside to serve the immediate ambitions of their party leaders.

Lavanya Balla, a leader within the Indian National Congress, echoed similar propaganda. She insisted that it was Modi’s friend who had lost, and bizarrely claimed that if Lula were an Indian politician, the ruling party would have labeled him a “dimagi naxal” (intellectual Naxalite). It appears the opposition is adept at projecting its own political anxieties onto others through such accusations.

Another liberal commentator drew upon Lula’s past remarks about Brazil refusing to be anyone's backyard, using it to draw a false comparison with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the RSS. This commentator suggested that Generation Z is delivering a similar message of defiance, repeating baseless claims of voter suppression and crony capitalism. They added a caveat that India should not sacrifice its own interests for another nation's gain.

This ignores the fact that the Indian government has repeatedly stood firm against immense pressure from the United States. Whether it was navigating Operation Sindoor, securing Russian crude oil during global energy crises, or negotiating the Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), the current administration has consistently protected Indian sovereignty and refused to bow to external demands. Yet, these well-documented realities are purposefully ignored because they dismantle the opposition's preferred narrative.

Adding to the rhetoric, a commentator named Tanmoy stated, “You cannot place personal interests above those of the nation while hiding behind the mask of false nationalism,” This statement came as the broader Islamo-leftist political ecosystem continued to cherry-pick data, spread half-truths, and present outright falsehoods under the guise of patriotism.

Darab Farooqui provided another example of this mindset. Despite his political faction's vocal commitment to democratic values, he insulted the intelligence of Indian voters for utilizing their constitutional right to elect PM Modi. Farooqui labeled the voting public as “uneducated” simply because they prevented his preferred parties from taking power.

Another critic in this same circle went so far as to mock the Prime Minister, suggesting Modi must have been in tears while congratulating Lula. It was a comment entirely divorced from the reality of their warm diplomatic exchange.

The opposition and their aligned commentators have spent considerable energy trying to paint Lula and Modi as global rivals, using this fabricated rivalry to attack the BJP and RSS, all while hoping for a similar political shift in India. There is naturally nothing wrong with wanting one's own party to win an election. However, attempting to frame Lula’s fourth-term victory as a defeat for Modi—when the two leaders enjoy a highly cooperative and friendly dynamic—is a laughable strategy. It seems to be a desperate attempt to find psychological comfort in a challenging political landscape that offers them little real-world relief.

Lula and Modi: A Strategic Friendship Rising Above Partisan Politics

The relationship between PM Modi and President Lula goes far beyond motivated political narratives. The two leaders first sat down together on the margins of the G7 Summit in Hiroshima in May 2023. This meeting was particularly significant as it coincided with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between India and Brazil. The gathering sparked a renewed phase of high-level cooperation, focusing heavily on “defence production, trade, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, dairy & animal husbandry and bio-fuels & clean energy.”

Just months later, in September, Lula traveled to India for the G20 Leaders Summit. During this event, the two leaders, alongside United States leadership, officially launched the Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA)—an initiative designed to standardize the sustainable trade of biofuels worldwide. In a strong show of diplomatic backing, Brazil also threw its support behind India’s bid for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the 2028-2029 term, while both nations continued to prioritize critical defense and trade issues.

The momentum continued when PM Modi made his first visit to Brazil under Lula’s current presidency in November 2024. During this trip, India offered firm backing for Lula’s signature initiative, the “Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty.”

Building on this foundation, the Indian Prime Minister undertook a comprehensive official trip to South America for the BRICS summit in July 2025. Both Modi and Lula utilized this prominent global stage to “reaffirm their resolve to bolster” the strategic alliance uniting their countries.

An official government release detailing the meetings noted: “Building on strong economic and technological complementarities between India and Brazil, the leaders decided to chart a strategic roadmap to further strengthen bilateral ties over the next decade around five priority pillars, including defence and security, food and nutritional security, energy transition and climate change, digital transformation and emerging technologies and industrial partnerships in strategic areas.”

The personal warmth between the two was evident when Lula welcomed PM Modi to his official residence with the playing of the Prime Minister's favorite Ram bhajan—a deeply thoughtful and customized gesture. Furthermore, PM Modi was honored with Brazil’s highest civilian award for foreigners, the Grand Collar of the National Order of the Southern Cross, highlighting the profound and lasting connection between the nations.

Expressing his appreciation, PM Modi stated, “Gratitude to President Lula, the government and the people of Brazil. This illustrates the strong affection the people of Brazil have for the people of India. May our friendship scale even newer heights of success in the times to come,”

Their solidarity is also evident in economic struggles. When US President Donald Trump imposed harsh 50% tariffs on Brazilian goods, Lula reached out directly to PM Modi. This aggressive US trade policy mirrored similar tactics used against India, which also faced 50% tariffs—25% of which was a direct penalty for India's continued purchase of Russian oil.

Most recently, the two leaders convened during Lula’s landmark five-day visit to India in February. They set an ambitious target to double their bilateral trade, aiming to reach $30 billion by the year 2030. The visit also saw the signing of vital agreements to create joint ventures in the steel supply chain and the extraction of critical minerals.

These mineral agreements are highly strategic. As the global race for raw materials accelerates, the Indian government is actively hunting for new suppliers of rare earths to support domestic manufacturing capacity and reduce its vulnerability to an unpredictable China. Brazil, sitting as the world’s second-largest producer and exporter of iron ore, possesses massive mineral deposits essential for steel production. This perfectly aligns with India's current needs, driven by rapid, large-scale infrastructural development across the country.

Technology sharing was another cornerstone of the visit. Brazil expressed strong interest in adopting India’s successful Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) platforms. Delegations discussed customizing UPI-based payment and data frameworks for specific Brazilian sectors, including agriculture, healthcare, and education. The leaders pledged to increase bilateral cooperation in DPI, artificial intelligence (AI), and other emerging tech fields, recognizing them as essential tools for national growth and efficient public service delivery.

Summarizing these technological ambitions, a senior official noted, “President Lula suggested that we try to integrate AI into DPI platforms to try and maximise utilisation of DPI platforms and use the data very effectively to drive policy initiatives. So there is a lot of mining and critical minerals. We already spoke about defence aircraft,”

Defense and aviation ties also saw significant movement. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was finalized with Embraer, the prominent Brazilian aerospace corporation. Following this, Lula announced plans to establish a local assembly or production line for regional aircraft within India. Pushing the collaboration further, PM Modi requested that Embraer build a dedicated maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facility on Indian soil, directly supporting the government's flagship “Make in India” initiative.

To streamline economic exchange, Lula actively promoted using the Brazilian real and the Indian rupee for bilateral trade settlements. The financial data reflects the success of these growing ties: trade between India and Brazil surged by more than 25%, climbing from $12.2 billion in 2024 to $15.21 billion in 2025. In just the first half of 2026, trade volume reached $8.77 billion, marking a massive 37% increase compared to the same period the previous year.

Final Thoughts on a Strengthening Global Partnership

India and Brazil stand as two of the most powerful and prominent voices of the Global South. India has consistently championed this collective on the world stage, and the two nations have routinely aligned their shared priorities, creating a warm, mutually beneficial relationship that stands firm in international forums. Lula’s public and enthusiastic response to PM Modi’s latest congratulatory message is just the newest piece of evidence showcasing their genuine camaraderie.

Meanwhile, a perpetually bitter political opposition and its vocal cheerleaders find themselves with very few domestic victories to celebrate. Consequently, they have resorted to exploiting the 80-year-old Brazilian president’s return to power to spin entirely fictional narratives. By aiming baseless criticisms at PM Modi—a leader they have consistently failed to defeat at the ballot box—they reveal more about their own political desperation than they do about the thriving diplomatic reality between New Delhi and Brasília.