Brazil and India strengthen ties

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Brazil and India have signed multi-million dollar trade deals to improve co-operation between the two major emerging economies.

The agreements were signed at the start of an official visit to Brazil by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The deals involve technology and alternative energy source development.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said strengthening ties formed part of a vision to create a more just economic world order.

The new agreements came on the eve of a summit between India, Brazil and South Africa.

The summit in the capital Brasilia is aimed at improving links between what are three of the world's largest emerging economies.

Mutual praise

Mr Singh had nothing but praise for his host whom he described as a great statesman and a champion of the world's emerging economies.

For his part, the Brazilian president said trade between the two countries had grown from $400m in 1999 to more than $2bn in 2005.

The two men will be joined on Wednesday in Brasilia by the South African President, Thabo Mbeki, for the first summit of the so-called India-Brazil-South Africa Dialogue Forum.

The forum was created in 2003 to improve ties between the three countries.

For the Brazilian president, who is in the midst of a re-election campaign, the summit gives him an opportunity to get across to voters at home that his vision for a Brazil on the international stage is very much alive.