Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 5 (ANI): Brazil Consul General Jose Mauro da Fonseca Costa Couto on Saturday said that bilateral trade between India and Brazil has grown tenfold over the past 20 years, from USD 1.5 billion in 2004 to over USD 15 billion at present.
Speaking to ANI on the sidelines of the Global Impact Forum: Edition II-Civilisation Legacy in Mumbai, Couto highlighted the growth in trade between India and Brazil.
He said, "I'll tell you one thing, in very tangibly, in 2004, when I first came to India, bilateral trade, two-way trade, was USD 1.5 billion. Nowadays, two-way trade is over USD 15 billion. So we've grown tenfold in 20 years."
"So congratulations to India and to Brazil for moving so fast, so rapidly, into bringing people together from India and Brazil," he added.
Couto also congratulated the organisers of the event, saying it promotes closer ties between people from different countries and provides a platform to discuss their respective pathways to development.
"I'd like to congratulate the organisers of this event, which further promotes and approximate peoples of different countries together so they can discuss their own pathways to development without interference from other countries," he said.
He further referred to the gathering as a "warm-up" summit ahead of the larger BRICS Summit in Delhi on September 12-13.
"So basically, congratulations for hosting this summit, which is one of the, let's say, warm-up summits towards the larger BRICS summit, which will take place in Delhi quite soon," Couto said.
The Global Impact Forum Edition II, organised by AP Globale, is being held on September 5-6 at the Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai under the theme "Civilisational Legacy". The forum brought together participants from business, government, policy and academia, with discussions around investment, entrepreneurship, diplomacy and international cooperation.
Before the launch of the forum, AP Globale Director Janhavi Pawar spoke to ANI and said it has been designed keeping the BRICS theme in mind, with a focus on soft power and investment in India.
Highlighting the business relevance of cultural understanding, Pawar said, "When it comes to soft power, it helps retain trade, investments and talent in a country even during geopolitical instability."
She said understanding local cultures and sentiments is particularly important for companies entering new markets, adding that the forum aims to build greater understanding and trust between participating countries and delegations.
As BRICS Chair 2026, India will be hosting the 18th BRICS Summit on September 12-13 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. The Summit will bring together leaders of BRICS Member and Partner Countries as well as Outreach Invitees.
India’s BRICS Chairship is guided by the theme: 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability', reflecting the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a people-centric approach rooted in the spirit of "Humanity First", said the Ministry of External Affairs in a press release earlier. (ANI)
Two-way bilateral trade is over $15 bn, grown tenfold in 20 years: Brazil Consul General in Mumbai
