This article covers India's cooperation with Brazil in specific sectors: defence, space, agriculture, health and traditional medicine, digital technology and climate change, together with training and capacity building. It is based on the MEA bilateral brief of July 2026. Energy cooperation, including oil and gas and biofuels, is covered in the trade and investment article.
Defence
According to the MEA brief of July 2026, a defence cooperation agreement signed in 2003 and ratified in 2006 created a Joint Defence Committee (JDC) as the institutional mechanism. The 8th meeting of the JDC was held on 29-30 July 2025 in Brasilia. A 2+2 Political-Military dialogue was inaugurated in New Delhi in March 2024, and the India Brazil Focus Group on Defence Industrial cooperation held its inaugural meeting on 8 March 2024.
The brief records that all three serving Brazilian Chiefs, as well as the Joint Chief of Staff, have visited India in the last three years. Admiral Dinesh Tripathi, Chief of Naval Staff, visited Brazil from 8-13 December 2025. During his visit, an MOU on Maintenance of Scorpene Class Submarines and other military ships was signed between the Brazilian Navy, the Indian Navy and Mazagaon Docks Ltd (MDL).
Delegations from India's National Defence College, College of Defence Management and Army War College visit Brazil regularly, and Brazilian defence colleges have paid reciprocal visits to India.
Space
The two countries signed a framework agreement for the peaceful use of outer space in 2004, together with an inter-institutional cooperation agreement between their space agencies. They have collaborated in data sharing and in the satellite tracking of Indian satellites. India launched the Brazilian satellite Amazonia-1 in 2021, which the brief describes as the first Earth Observation satellite to be completely designed, integrated, tested and operated by Brazil.
Agriculture
The brief identifies agriculture, food processing and animal husbandry as other key focus areas. The brief states that the cattle of Brazil and India share the same genetic heritage: Indian breeds such as Gir and Kankrej, exported in the early 20th century, have been modified to yield large quantities of milk, and the bulk of Brazilian cattle are of Indian origin.
An MOU on cooperation in agriculture was signed between ICAR and Embrapa Brazil during the Prime Minister's visit in July 2025. Another MOU, between the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India and Brazil's Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, was signed during the Global Food Regulators Summit in New Delhi in September 2024.
Health and traditional medicine
An updated MOU between the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency (ANVISA) and the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) was signed in New Delhi in February 2026. An earlier MOU on health cooperation, signed in Delhi in January 2020, provided for a Joint Working Group, which first met in March 2022 and explored areas such as health surveillance, technology transfer and joint research.
Ayurveda and Yoga are both included as alternative therapies in the Policy of Integrative and Complimentary Practices (PNPIC) of the Brazilian Health Ministry. An MOU on cooperation in the field of Traditional Systems of Medicine and Homeopathy was signed in January 2020, and the first JWG meeting under it was held in Brasilia on 7 November 2022.
Digital technology
A Brazilian delegation took part in the Global Technology Summit in New Delhi on 10-12 April 2025. A delegation headed by a Director of the Brazilian Ministry of Science & Technology then visited India from 5-7 May 2025.
The MOU on digital solutions signed during the Prime Minister's visit in July 2025 was between MeitY and Brazil's Ministry of Management & Innovation in Public Services, and covers sharing successful digital solutions implemented at population scale. In October 2025, IIIT Bengaluru and COSS signed an agreement with DATAPREV to set up a Centre of Excellence in Brazil. CDAC India is implementing a supercomputer project at the University of Parana under an agreement with the State of Parana.
Climate change
India took part in COP30 under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, held in Belem, capital of the State of Para, from 10-21 November. The Indian delegation was led by Bhupender Yadav, Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Earlier, on 6-7 November 2025, Dinesh Bhatia, Ambassador of India to Brazil, represented India on behalf of the Prime Minister at the Leaders' Summit preceding COP30.
Training and capacity building
Over 110 Brazilians have used the ITEC programme for capacity building in fields including communications, management and defence. Brazilian diplomats have trained at the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service, New Delhi, in the Professional Course for Foreign Diplomats (PCFD), and in the Disarmament and Internal Security Fellowship program. Scholarships for Brazilian students are covered in the culture and education article.