Cabinet approves agreement, MoUs with Brazil

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved agreements and MoUs to be signed with Brazil including on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters.

The cabinet nod came ahead of the visit of Brazilian President Jair Messias Bolsonaro who will be the chief guest during the Republic Day parade.

Apart from the agreement on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, the cabinet also approved MoU on cooperation in oil and natural gas sectors.

It approved Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation to be signed between Brazil's Ministry of Citizenship and the Ministry of Women and Child Development for cooperation in issues relating to early childhood.

It also gave approval for the signing of MoU between Geological Survey of India (GSI) and Geological Survey of Brazil.

An official release said the agreement on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters aims to enhance the effectiveness of two countries in investigation and prosecution of crime through cooperation and mutual legal assistance in criminal matters.

The proposed agreement will provide a broad legal framework for bilateral cooperation in the context of transnational crime and its linkages to terrorism with Brazil.

It will help in the investigation of crime as well as tracing and confiscation of proceeds and funds meant to finance terrorist acts.

The MoU on cooperation in the field of oil and natural gas will enhance cooperation between the two sides in the oil and natural gas sector.

Under the MoU, both sides will explore collaboration in Liquefied Natural Gas projects in Brazil, India and third countries, and also encourage collaboration in energy policies such as energy efficiency, energy research development and expansion of the regional energy infrastructure networks.