Brazil’s Navy Chief Admiral Julio Soares De Moura Neto was given a ceremonial Guard of Honour on his first official visit to India, when he arrived here in New Delhi on August 9. The Brazilian Navy chief who led a delegation held a series of meetings with the Indian officials.

The visiting dignitary met the top brass of the Ministry of Defence, including the Minister of State, M.M.Pallam Raju and India’s Naval Chief Suresh Mehta. They held wide-ranging discussions on maritime security, operations, interoperability, ship design and manufacture and training.

	Admiral Julio Soares De Moura Neto visits India for the first time		Admiral Julio Soares De Moura Neto recieving Guard of Honour		Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Nirma Verma with Admiral Julio Soares De Moura Neto

The two navies would hold a maritime warfare exercise, also involving the South African Navy, in a trilateral wargame off the coast of South Africa in September this year. Such an exercise will be happening for the second time as part of the IBSAMAR (India-Brazil-South Africa Maritime Exercises). Meanwhile, the bilateral trade between India and Brazil is said to be growing and is expected to touch $ 10 billion mark by 2012.