Brazil engaging in dialogue to share experiences in making ethanol an important biofuel for India, says Ambassador
Nov 04, 2026
New Delhi [India], November 4 : Ambassador of Brazil to India Kenneth Félix Haczynski da Nóbrega identified energy as one of the fundamental pillars of bilateral ties, spanning biofuels, deep-sea exploration, and grid equipment manufacturing.
Speaking to ANI at the sidelines of the Bharat RE Summit and Expo 2026, the envoy pointed out that bilateral economic relations have witnessed steady momentum over the past three and a half years.
He observed that Brazil remains the fifth largest supplier of crude oil to India, with both sides now advancing technical collaboration in offshore extraction.
"Brazil-Indian ties with clean energy starts with ethanol. We have been engaging in a dialogue to share our experiences in making ethanol an important biofuel, an important part of the energy transition," he said.
Nobrega also commended India's strides in blending targets and its leadership in the Global Biofuel Alliance.
"India has taken the lead in the global biofuel alliances. It's a very important platform to share specifically more with the global South countries that have tropical climates that can use biofuel as part of their solution in the energy transition process," da Nobrega said.
"The other is of course energy transitions also need fossil fuel. So we are cooperating also in the technology of deep sea oil drilling with India," he stated, noting that cooperation will extend to exploration activities planned around the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Addressing industrial presence, the envoy noted that Brazilian firm WEG operates actively in India, producing wind turbines, transformers, and electrical grid infrastructure, while Indian enterprises produce ethanol within Brazil.
Nobrega mentioned that bilateral trade between India and Brazil is poised to touch an absolute historic record of USD 20 billion, highlighting the expanding economic and energy partnership between the two nations.
"I think we are seeing the relationship we have already seen for the last three and a half years, economic relations booming; trade exchange now is poised to reach USD 20 billion dollars. This is an absolute historic record," da Nobrega said.
"Your FDI stock in Brazil now will reach, this is a conservative estimate, USD 10 billion dollars. Perhaps it's more, but let's be conservative here. I have received here more than 150 business missions from Brazil in three years. So these are very telling numbers," the ambassador added, emphasizing that both countries stand as partners in promoting mutual growth and resilience.
Regarding the 2025 renewable energy memorandum of understanding, the envoy underscored sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) as a key priority area where Brazil has established a legislative framework for phased fuel blending, with both countries actively comparing technical and regulatory progress.
Brazil is India’s largest trade partner in the Latin America region, with bilateral trade of USD 15.21 billion in 2025. Indian exports to Brazil stood at USD 8.35 billion in comparison to imports worth USD 6.86 billion from Brazil. Trade balance was in India’s favor by USD 1.49 billion.
India’s export to Brazil was 0.88 per cent of India’s global exports during 2024 and 0.92 per cent in 2023. India’s import from Brazil was 0.75 per cent of India’s global imports during 2024 and 0.55 per cent in 2023.
In contrast, Brazil export to India was 1.6 per cent (in 2024) and 1.4 per cent (in 2023) of its global exports and Brazil import from India was 2.8 per cent (in 2024) and 3.00 per cent (in 2023) of its global imports.