India and Brazil strongly oppose terrorism and those who support it, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday while asserting that there is no place for double standards on terrorism, in a veiled reference to Pakistan and its all-weather ally China.
“Our thinking on the fight against terrorism is aligned – zero-tolerance and zero-double standards,” Modi said during a joint press statement with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva after their delegation-level talks.
India and Brazil strongly oppose terrorism and those who support it, the prime minister said, without naming any country. In the past, India has described Pakistan as the “global epicentre of terrorism.”
“There is no place for double standards on terrorism,” he said, in a veiled reference to China, which is an all-weather ally of Pakistan.
PM Modi thanked President Lula for its solidarity and support in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terrorist attack in April.
During the meeting, the two leaders held extensive discussions on multifaceted ties, including trade and investment, defence and security, health and pharmaceuticals, space, renewable energy, food and energy security, infrastructure development, digital public infrastructure, culture and people-to-people ties, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
They explored avenues for collaboration in the new areas of critical minerals, new and emerging technologies, AI & supercomputers, digital collaboration & mobility, he said, adding that they set a bilateral trade target of USD 20 billion over the next five years.
After the talks, the two sides inked agreements to bolster cooperation in several areas.
Modi, who arrived here for a State Visit after attending the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro, said his trip to Brazil will add momentum to the bilateral relations.
Earlier, PM Modi received a grand ceremonial welcome featuring a unique 114-horse parade at the Alvorada Palace in Brasília. He also witnessed an Indian classical bhajan performance during his reception.
Earlier, Modi was conferred with Brazil’s highest civilian award, the Grand Collar of the National Order of the Southern Cross.
The honour was presented by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, in recognition of PM Modi’s notable contributions to strengthening bilateral relations and enhancing India-Brazil cooperation across key global platforms.
“Being honoured with Brazil’s highest national award by the President today is a moment of immense pride and emotion, not only for me, but also for 140 crore Indians,” Modi said during a joint press statement with Lula after their delegation-level talks.
“I express my heartfelt gratitude to him (President Lula), the Brazilian government, and the people of Brazil,” he said.
This is the 26th international honour bestowed upon PM Modi by a foreign government since he assumed office in May 2014. (PTI)
