Pragati publishes GPPi article on Brazil-India cooperation

In its November 2010 issue, India’s monthly foreign policy magazine Pragati published on article on bilateral cooperation between Brazil and India by GPPi Research Associate Joel Sandhu and Fellow Oliver Stuenkel. In their piece, titled Colonial Cousins: The Makings of a Fruitful India-Brazil Relationship, Sandhu and Stuenkel argue that while national interests remain central motivating forces for India and Brazil in international affairs, the two countries would do well to deepen bilateral cooperation and share lessons learned. To continue their rise in the global economy and fulfil the aspirations of their citizens, India and Brazil should together address environment issues, tax reform and education.

Regarding the environment, Sandhu and Stuenkel point out that with a swelling middle class, rapidly urbanising population and rising energy consumption, India’s economic growth poses a serious threat to the environment. The authors argue that India will need clear guidelines that balance the needs of industrial development with concerns about the environment. Here, India can learn from Brazil, which despite its growth remains the cleanest big economy in the world.

The authors also write that India and Brazil are struggling to push forward tax reform even though they both see it as a crucial step towards creating a coherent fiscal system, improving competitiveness of their economy and making themselves more attractive to global investments. An Indian-Brazilian exchange of best practices on reform could potentially help matters, not only on a technical level, but also with regard to overcoming political veto players that invariably exist in tax reform.

Finally, India and Brazil share a vision of achieving universal education for their citizens. Still, large numbers of Indians and Brazilians remain hostage in a system that prevents them from obtaining basic education. Brazil has been successful in developing a cash-transfer program to parents dependent on their children’s regular school attendance and successful participation in class – an approach that could work in India. In higher education, India could help Brazil get reform under way. While Indian institutes produce thousands of top-level graduates and promote social mobility, there are few spots in Brazil’s top public universities that only rich students who attend private high schools pass the qualifying exams.

While each nation contends with its own competing priorities, their shared challenges and common interests should enhance cooperation between the two rising powers, which in turn could yield positive results for the security, prosperity and aspirations of millions of their citizens, and by extension the global community. Sandhu and Stuenkel argue that by working together India and Brazil can expand the intellectual leadership for their peoples, continue their success stories and provide the developing world with two powerful examples that democracy is no obstacle to prosperity.