Photo: screengrab from the official website of Brasil 247

By Brasil 247 - The Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex Brasil) will open an office in India in January 2026, its president Jorge Viana announced on Thursday (September 4). The expansion is part of the Lula administration's internationalization strategy, aimed at strengthening Brazil's footprint in key global markets.

Viana noted that the new office in India will be inaugurated during President Lula's upcoming state visit to the country. 

Beyond India, Apex Brasil is also expanding its domestic operations, with new offices opening in Cuiabá and Belo Horizonte, as well as recent inaugurations in Bahia. Internationally, the agency already maintains three offices in China — Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen — and three in the US, in addition to a base in Angola and plans to establish a presence in Nigeria and Russia.

The announcement comes as preparations intensify for Lula's state visit to India in early 2026. The trip is expected to deepen cooperation in trade, defense, energy, critical minerals, health, and digital inclusion. A preparatory mission, led by Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, will travel to India in October for a meeting of the Trade Monitoring Mechanism.

According to Viana, the expansion reflects Brazil's stronger role in the global economy and its drive to build closer ties with emerging markets, in line with the Lula government's foreign policy.

(Reported by Brasil 247 on September 4, 2025)