Brazil’s right-turn: What it means for India, BRICS

In Brazil's recent national elections, Jair Bolsonaro's son, Flávio, emerged as the frontrunner, securing the most votes against incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The runoff between the two is set for October 25. Lula, a leftist leader seeking his fourth term, is facing criticism from Bolsonaro, who has accused his policies of negatively impacting businesses and households. The elections have also seen the emergence of a major banking scandal involving Brazil's largest bank fraud.

The political shift towards the right in Latin America, as seen in Colombia, Peru and Chile, could have significant implications for India's strategic partnership with Brazil. A hard-aligned Brazil could potentially complicate India's efforts to coordinate positions on trade, development finance and other matters with other emerging economies. However, the existing robust diplomatic relations between the two countries, which have lasted for about 80 years, pose a challenge to this potential shift.