Balance of Lula’s Visit to Asia

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President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s Asian agenda, with visits to India, South Korea, and the Emirates, maintains the articulated strategy of international insertion based on trade diversification, industrial value addition, and the strengthening of strategic technological chains.

India – February 18 to 22, 2026

President Lula is received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu at the Presidential Palace in New Delhi, February 21, 2026. (Photo: Ricardo Stuckert/PR)

In India, the visit was marked by strong business mobilization during the Brazil–India Business Forum 2026, organized by ApexBrasil. The event brought together authorities and business leaders and resulted in the formalization of several partnerships. Lula reinforced the goal of raising bilateral trade, currently around US$ 15 billion, to US$ 20 billion in the short term, potentially reaching US$ 30 billion by 2030.

A relevant differentiator was the emphasis on joint production and technology transfer, especially in the aeronautical sector. Embraer signed agreements with the Adani Group and Mahindra for the production of commercial and defense aircraft in Indian territory, signaling a qualitative shift due to productive and industrial insertion into the Indian market. In the digital field, the Brazil–India Digital Partnership was signed, the first of its kind for Brazil, involving cooperation in artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, and technological startups.

Health sector:

The Ministry of Health signed three Partnerships for Productive Development (PDPs) for the national production of oncology medicines within SUS, with investments that may reach R$ 10 billion over ten years. The agreements involve:

• Fundação Oswaldo Cruz

• Bahiafarma

• Bionovis

• Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories

• Biocon Pharma

• Lupin

The agreements cover medicines such as nivolumab, pertuzumab, and dasatinib, aimed at cancer treatment, in addition to cooperation on neglected diseases such as tuberculosis and malaria. The central strategy is to reduce external dependence, internalize production, and expand technology transfer, strengthening the Health Economic-Industrial Complex.

Critical minerals and digital governance:

India was a partner in agreements involving critical minerals and resilient supply chains, a strategic area in the global dispute over semiconductors, batteries, and the energy transition.

At the political level, Lula defended greater international governance of artificial intelligence, with a role for the United Nations, combining regulation and investment attraction, as evidenced in the meeting with Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google.

There was also signaling regarding trade in local currencies within the BRICS framework, reinforcing the agenda of financial diversification.

South Korea – February 22 to 24, 2026

President Lula da Silva, during a signing ceremony at the Blue House alongside South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, in Seoul, February 23, 2026. (Photo: Ricardo Stuckert/PR)

President Lula participated in the closing ceremony of the Brazil–South Korea Business Forum, in Seoul, which brought together authorities, representatives of 230 corporations, and strategic sectors such as the creative economy, technology, pharmaceutical industry, food, sugar, ethanol, agriculture, and livestock.

As in India, Lula reinforced the centrality of business forums in his international trips, highlighting that dialogue between the State, workers, and entrepreneurs is a pillar of a strong and inclusive economy. The speech also included a social component by mentioning the debate in Brazil over reducing working hours, associating technological productivity with social well-being.

Beef market:

One of the most concrete objectives of the visit was to advance the opening of the South Korean market to Brazilian beef. Korea is a major importer of high-standard beef and has a sophisticated consumer market.

Lula emphasized the competitiveness of Brazilian agribusiness, mentioning the record harvest of 350 million tons of grains in 2025, and signaled willingness to meet sanitary requirements.

If materialized, the opening would:

• Diversify destinations for Brazilian agribusiness

• Reduce dependence on concentrated markets

• Expand presence in a higher value-added market

In addition, the possibility of installing Brazilian slaughterhouses in Korea was mentioned, which would indicate not only exports but productive presence.

Industrial integration and investments:

Korea is already a consolidated partner in Brazil. Companies such as Samsung, Hyundai, and LG already have a strong presence in the Brazilian market. The country is the largest destination of Korean investments in Latin America and accumulates around US$ 9 billion in capital stock.

The differentiator of the visit was to seek deeper productive integration, especially in:

• Advanced manufacturing

• Digital economy

• Bioeconomy

• Sustainable industries

• Critical minerals

Therefore, a cooperation agreement on trade and productive integration was signed, focusing on resilient and strategic chains.

Health sector:

The visit also addressed synergies in the pharmaceutical and biotechnological industry. Cooperation with institutions such as Fundação Oswaldo Cruz was mentioned as a vector for joint production of vaccines, inputs, and medicines.

Brazil also highlighted the advancement of the Órion laboratory and the intention to expand research, innovation, and technological development in health, approaching Korean scientific capacity.

Aerospace sector:

Another strategic point was aerospace cooperation. The South Korean startup Innospace participates in the development of the Alcântara Launch Center, expanding Brazil’s insertion into the space market. The dialogue between space agencies may involve sharing satellite data, joint projects, and lunar exploration. This is a high value-added technological axis.

Trade and multilateralism:

The trade flow between Brazil and Korea is around US$ 11 billion, below the historic peak of 2011. The declared objective is to resume growth and expand integration. There was also signaling of the resumption of dialogue with Mercosur, reinforcing the defense of multilateralism in the face of advancing global protectionism.

United Arab Emirates – February 24, 2026

President Lula da Silva during a meeting with the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, at Abu Dhabi International Airport, February 24, 2026. (Photo: Ricardo Stuckert/PR)

The stop in Abu Dhabi marked the closing of President Lula’s international agenda, focusing on consolidating the strategic partnership with the United Arab Emirates.

The main axis of the meeting with President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was economic. The two leaders reiterated interest in accelerating negotiations for an agreement between Mercosur and the Emirates to establish a Comprehensive Economic Partnership, which may expand exports, attract investments, and strengthen Brazil’s presence in the Middle East.

Another relevant point was the invitation for the Emirates to participate in the Tropical Forests Forever Fund, an initiative linked to COP30, reinforcing the environmental dimension of Brazilian foreign policy and the search for international financing for preservation.

There was also political-diplomatic alignment, with an exchange of views on regional stability and cooperation to promote peace in the Middle East.

Overall balance

The visits to India, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates reinforce a strategy of economic diversification and strengthening of Brazil’s international insertion.

With India, the focus was on expanding trade, cooperation in health and technology, and strengthening the South-South axis. With South Korea, the emphasis was greater on industrial integration, innovation, strategic minerals, and market opening, such as beef. In Abu Dhabi, the highlight was progress in trade negotiations between Mercosur and the Emirates, the attraction of investments, and the strengthening of the environmental agenda, with an invitation to participate in the Tropical Forests Forever Fund.

The overall balance is positive: the three agendas are complementary and contribute to expanding markets, attracting investments, strengthening strategic partnerships, and advancing the strategy of reindustrialization and value addition in the Brazilian economy.

References

PLANALTO. Em Nova Délhi, Lula defende governança global da IA e alerta: “Quando poucos controlam os algoritmos, não é inovação, é dominação. Disponível em: <https://www.gov.br/planalto/pt-br/acompanhe-o-planalto/noticias/2026/02/em-nova-delhi-lula-defende-governanca-global-da-ia-e-alerta-201cquando-poucos-controlam-os-algoritmos-nao-e-inovacao-e-dominacao>.

PLANALTO. Lula no Fórum Empresarial Brasil-Índia: “Eventos como este impulsionam o avanço de tecnologias inovadoras”. Disponível em: <https://www.gov.br/planalto/pt-br/acompanhe-o-planalto/noticias/2026/02/lula-no-forum-empresarial-brasil-india-201ceventos-como-este-impulsionam-o-avanco-de-tecnologias-inovadoras201d>.

PLANALTO. “Encontro entre Índia e Brasil é uma reunião de superlativos”, afirma Lula em Nova Délhi. Disponível em: <https://www.gov.br/planalto/pt-br/acompanhe-o-planalto/noticias/2026/02/201cencontro-entre-india-e-brasil-e-uma-reuniao-de-superlativos201d-afirma-lula-em-nova-delhi>.

PLANALTO. Lula em Fórum Empresarial Brasil-Coreia do Sul: “Fortes laços humanos e vínculos empresariais são prova que confiança e cooperação valem a pena”. Disponível em: <https://www.gov.br/planalto/pt-br/acompanhe-o-planalto/noticias/2026/02/lula-em-forum-empresarial-brasil-coreia-do-sul-201cfortes-lacos-humanos-e-vinculos-empresariais-sao-prova-que-confianca-e-cooperacao-valem-a-pena201d>.

PLANALTO. “Agora, damos início a um renovado ciclo de desenvolvimento e prosperidade compartilhada entre Brasil e Coreia do Sul”, afirma Lula em Seul. Disponível em: <https://www.gov.br/planalto/pt-br/acompanhe-o-planalto/noticias/2026/02/201cagora-damos-inicio-a-um-renovado-ciclo-de-desenvolvimento-e-prosperidade-compartilhada-entre-brasil-e-coreia-do-sul201d-afirma-lula-em-seul>.

PLANALTO. Reunião entre o presidente Lula e o presidente dos Emirados Árabes Unidos, o Xeique Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Disponível em: <https://www.gov.br/planalto/pt-br/acompanhe-o-planalto/notas-oficiais/reuniao-entre-o-presidente-lula-e-o-presidente-dos-emirados-arabes-unidos-o-xeique-mohammed-bin-zayed-al-nahyan>.

PLANALTO. “Essa parceria vai crescer muito”, destaca Lula sobre relação comercial entre Brasil e Coreia do Sul. Disponível em: <https://www.gov.br/planalto/pt-br/acompanhe-o-planalto/noticias/2026/02/201cessa-parceria-vai-crescer-muito201d-destaca-lula-sobre-relacao-comercial-entre-brasil-e-coreia-do-sul>.