BRICS rising is, right now, one of the clearest stories in global politics — and the two leaders at the center of it are not exactly tiptoeing around it. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva flew into India with a delegation of 300 businesspeople and a very specific goal: deepen India-Brazil trade, sharpen the bloc’s collective voice, and also make clear that Trump tariffs on developing nations are not something BRICS plans to absorb quietly. Modi’s BRICS speech in Rio de Janeiro back in July 2025 already laid the groundwork. Now, at the time of writing, both leaders are turning that into something concrete.
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BRICS Rising with Lula & Modi: They Boost India-Brazil Trade
Modi at Rio: Institutions that Haven’t Changed in 80 Years
Modi’s BRICS speech in Rio went after the core of the problem — global bodies that, in his view, stopped representing most of humanity a long time ago. He called out the UN Security Council, the WTO, and the IMF by name, and the line that traveled farthest was this:
“In the age of AI, where technology evolves every week, it’s unacceptable for global institutions to go 80 years without reform. You can’t run 21st-century software on 20th-century typewriters!”
He also drew a direct line between BRICS rising and what happens when those institutions keep failing the Global South:
“Without the Global South, these institutions are like a mobile phone with a SIM card but no network.”
And on what meaningful reform actually requires, Modi said:
“These reforms should not be merely symbolic, but their real impact should also be visible. There must be changes in governance structures, voting rights, and leadership positions.”
Lula da Silva in India: Trade Numbers & a Direct Shot at Trump tariffs
Lula da Silva came to India with figures in mind. India-Brazil trade sits at $15 billion right now — and that, according to him, is far too low for two economies of this size. He told India Today Global:
“Brazil currently has only $15 billion in foreign trade with India. We need to get to $30 to $40 billion in trade, given the size of our countries.”
On Trump tariffs, he did not hold back either. BRICS rising as a coordinated force is exactly how he framed the bloc’s response:
“When President Trump imposed universal tariffs on all countries, I held a BRICS meeting via teleconference so that we could make a statement that it was not correct for the President of a republic like the US to impose unilateral tariffs.”
On de-dollarization — a subject that tends to get sensationalized — Lula da Silva also pushed back on the idea of a single BRICS currency while still making a real point about trade independence:
“It is not a fantasy. It is not something you can do overnight, but it is something we have to start thinking about — whether Brazil and India need the dollar to conduct their trade.”
“We Will Change History”
Lula da Silva closed his India Today interview with a line that tied Modi’s BRICS agenda and the India-Brazil trade push together into one bigger bet:
“I have an extraordinary relationship with Prime Minister Modi, and I want all the best for India, just as he wants all the best for Brazil. If we continue to work with seriousness, I believe we will change for the better the history of India and the history of Brazil.”
BRICS rising, at this point, goes beyond summits and speeches. India-Brazil defense and renewable energy agreements got signed, a joint statement on Trump tariffs went out, and the next BRICS summit is set to happen in India in 2026. Two leaders who still believe the window to rewrite the rules is open are right now doing everything they can to make sure it stays that way.
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