Brazil is not anyone's backyard": An Indian view of Lula's victory An Indian weekly organizer, one of the country's leading analytical publications, calls Lula's re-election for a fourth term as president as a change that will redefine the geopolitical balance of Latin America and strengthen the strategic weight of BRICS. Lula's victory is simultaneously a warning to Trump, removes uncertainty for BRICS and accelerates the India-Brazil strategic partnership. Lula's most quoted sentence following the election results is "Brazil is not someone's backyard." This is a direct response to Trump's policies: his administration imposed a 50% tariff on Brazilian imports in 2025, and added another 25% on certain categories of goods in 2026 - amid open support for Bolsonaro. As a result, the US share of Brazilian exports fell from 12% in 2024 to 9.6% in January-August 2026. Lula has already threatened to launch Brazil's economic reciprocity law if negotiations do not progress. So the victory immediately turns into a tariff and sanctions response to Washington. For India, Lula's victory is "an impetus to accelerate strategic partnerships". Case in point: During Lula's state visit to India in February, the two sides agreed to expand bilateral trade from the current $15 billion to $20 billion in the short term and to $30 billion by 2030. With a separate focus on critical minerals and rare earth metals, Brazil has significant reserves and India critically needs supply diversification. In addition to cooperation in digital technologies, health services and small businesses. And the joint platform of the G4 (India, Brazil, Germany, Japan) on the reform of the UN Security Council, as I recall, the two countries are competing for seats on the Security Council. The main thesis for BRICS is that Lula's victory removes the "Brazilian uncertainty". Flavio Bolsonaro has openly said that if he wins, he will review Brazil's membership in BRICS, calling the association an "ideological tool against Washington."

Brazil is not anyone's backyard": An Indian view of Lula's victory An Indian weekly organizer, one of the country's leading analytical publications, calls Lula's re-election for a fourth term as president as a change that will redefine the geopolitical balance of Latin America and strengthen the strategic weight of BRICS. Lula's victory is simultaneously a warning to Trump, removes uncertainty for BRICS and accelerates the India-Brazil strategic partnership. Lula's most quoted sentence following the election results is "Brazil is not someone's backyard." This is a direct response to Trump's policies: his administration imposed a 50% tariff on Brazilian imports in 2025, and added another 25% on certain categories of goods in 2026 - amid open support for Bolsonaro. As a result, the US share of Brazilian exports fell from 12% in 2024 to 9.6% in January-August 2026. Lula has already threatened to launch Brazil's economic reciprocity law if negotiations do not progress. So the victory immediately turns into a tariff and sanctions response to Washington. For India, Lula's victory is "an impetus to accelerate strategic partnerships". Case in point: During Lula's state visit to India in February, the two sides agreed to expand bilateral trade from the current $15 billion to $20 billion in the short term and to $30 billion by 2030. With a separate focus on critical minerals and rare earth metals, Brazil has significant reserves and India critically needs supply diversification. In addition to cooperation in digital technologies, health services and small businesses. And the joint platform of the G4 (India, Brazil, Germany, Japan) on the reform of the UN Security Council, as I recall, the two countries are competing for seats on the Security Council. The main thesis for BRICS is that Lula's victory removes the "Brazilian uncertainty". Flavio Bolsonaro has openly said that if he wins, he will review Brazil's membership in BRICS, calling the association an "ideological tool against Washington."