Indians no longer need visa to visit Brazil: President Bolsonaro

By

Akash Rai

Indians can now have easy access to Sao Paulo after Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro announced today that the South American nation will no longer require Indians to obtain a visa while visiting the country as a tourist or for business purposes.

The announcement was made by the Brazilian president while he was in China during an official visit.  

WION spoke to the Brazilian embassy in New Delhi which said: "Brazil wants more businessmen and tourists from India. There are untapped opportunities for deepening people-to-people contact. We are implementing measures which could be the first step to facilitate bringing our people closer."

Earlier this year, the visa relaxation rule followed Brazil's move on similar lines to a number of nations including the USA, Canada, Japan and Australia. Brazilians, on the other hand, are still required to obtain visas for the said nations.

The new strategy outlined an openness towards tourists while eliminating visa requirements for countries with the biggest economic potential which also helps to promote Brazil's diverse culture and natural marvels.

India and Brazil share a close and multifaceted relationship at the bilateral level as well as in plurilateral fora such as BRICS, BASIC, G-20, IBSA, and several others.

According to government data, more than 4,700 Indians reside in Brazil with the majority of them living in Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Manaus. The community mainly comprises of professionals, businessmen, scientists and researchers connected with space, agriculture, physics, and biotechnology. There is also an India association in Sao Paulo.

Apart from this, India and Brazil also share an interest in commercial, defense and cultural relations including the ITEC program. About 55 Brazilians have visited India under the ITEC program for training in communication, defense and management in the past seven years.