Enviro News Asia, New Delhi — Minister of the Environment and Climate Change Marina Silva stated that Brazil and India are central actors in the global debate on energy transition during President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s official visit to New Delhi, India, from 18 to 22 February.
Silva joined the Brazilian delegation of 11 ministers and participated in the State Visit agenda, including an expanded bilateral meeting between Lula and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She also attended the Summit on the Impact of Artificial Intelligence, where Brazil presented its strategic vision for artificial intelligence (AI) focused on inclusion, sovereignty, and sustainable development.
During the bilateral meeting, Silva thanked India for its support during COP30, held under Brazil’s presidency in Belém in November 2025. She emphasized the importance of India’s backing for the Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF), a financial mechanism rewarding forest-rich countries that achieve positive results in curbing deforestation. The fund has already secured US$6.7 billion in contributions from seven countries.
The minister welcomed India’s forthcoming submission of its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement, outlining its 2035 greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets. She noted that more than 130 countries have submitted their NDCs to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, including Brazil, which presented its updated target during COP29.
Silva stressed the need to develop a global roadmap to end dependence on fossil fuels, based on nationally determined pathways, as advocated by Lula during COP30 — a proposal that gained the support of over 90 countries. She underscored that Brazil has already initiated its national roadmap process, involving the Ministries of Mines and Energy, Finance, Environment and Climate Change, and the Chief of Staff’s Office, to ensure a just and planned transition away from fossil fuels.
“Even as an oil-producing and exporting country, we recognize the need to establish our roadmap to secure a just transition in the medium and long term,” Silva said. She added that Brazil and India must work together to ensure that biofuels gain fair access to global markets, noting India’s significant progress in biofuel production.
As part of the State Visit, Silva attended official ceremonies hosted by Modi and Indian President Droupadi Murmu, as well as a floral tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at the Raj Ghat Memorial.
In a joint press statement with Modi, Lula recalled that during the Indian leader’s July 2025 visit to Brasília, both countries identified energy transition and climate change as one of five pillars of bilateral cooperation. “The only wars humanity should fight are those against hunger, poverty, and environmental degradation,” Lula stated.
Representatives of both nations signed several agreements during the visit, including the Digital Partnership for the Future between Brazil and India. The initiative foresees the launch of the Open Planetary Intelligence Network (OPIN), designed to leverage Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) to accelerate sustainable development and strengthen climate action across developing countries by integrating digital and climate transformations.
At the AI Summit, Lula advocated for multilateral, inclusive, and development-oriented AI governance. He warned that without collective action, artificial intelligence could deepen historical inequalities. Brazil promotes governance that respects national diversity while ensuring AI strengthens democracy, social cohesion, and sovereignty.
Silva also participated in the event “AI for the Good of All: Brazilian Perspectives on the Future of AI,” where ministers detailed public policies applying AI in health, education, public services, and digital infrastructure. Among the highlighted initiatives was Brazil’s Artificial Intelligence Plan 2024–2028, launched in 2024 as a milestone for the country’s technological development.
During the visit, Silva met with COP30 Special Envoy for South Asia and CEO of the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), Arunabha Ghosh, to discuss global and national fossil fuel transition roadmaps. She also attended the inauguration of the new ApexBrasil office in New Delhi.
Lula’s trip marked his fifth visit to India and his second during the current term, reflecting an unprecedented phase of economic and technological dynamism in bilateral relations. (*)
