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Brazilian president, Republic Day chief guest, to arrive in India on Friday
Jan. 22, 2020

Brazilian President Jair Messias Bolsonaro will arrive in New Delhi on Friday to attend the 71st Republic Day celebrations as the chief guest, in response to an invitation seen as a recognition of the importance India attaches to ties with one of the largest economies in South America as well as the region in general.

This will be the third time that India has invited a Brazilian leader as the chief guest at the country’s Republic Day event. New Delhi had invited Fernando Henrique Cardoso for the celebrations in 1996, and hosted Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as guest of honour in 2004.

A statement from India’s foreign ministry on Tuesday said Bolsanaro will be accompanied by seven ministers, besides the chairman of Brazil-India Friendship Group in Brazilian Parliament, senior officials and a large business delegation.

 

The last presidential visit from Brazil was in 2016 when the then president Michel Temer came to India to attend a summit of Brazil-Russia-India-South Africa (BRICS) leaders in Goa. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited Brasilia for the BRICS summit in November.