Lula Calls U.S. Tariffs “Tariff Blackmail”, Urges Multilateralism at BRICS Summit

Brasilia / New Delhi / Beijing, Sept 8: Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva used a virtual BRICS summit on Monday to sharply criticise recent U.S. trade measures, calling them “tariff blackmail” and urging member nations to push for stronger multilateral cooperation to protect open trade channels.

Lula’s Stark Warning

Speaking at the summit hosted by Brazil, Lula warned that unilateral tariffs and punitive duties risk undermining the global trading system and stoking protectionism. He accused some trading partners of using tariffs as leverage in geopolitical disputes and urged BRICS countries to coordinate responses to preserve market access for exporters and secure supply chains.

India’s Message: Keep Trade Open

India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, representing Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the leaders’ virtual meeting, echoed concerns about unpredictable trade barriers. Jaishankar emphasised the need for stable, predictable trade policies, saying BRICS partners should avoid actions that complicate economic cooperation and hamper growth.

Why This Matters

The summit’s trade-focused exchanges come amid rising global tensions over tariffs and trade restrictions that many developing economies say are hurting their exports. For BRICS — a bloc that seeks greater influence over global economic governance — coordinated messaging on trade can bolster negotiating leverage in international forums such as the WTO and G20.

Possible Responses from BRICS

Analysts say concrete outcomes from the summit could include calls for stronger WTO dispute-settlement mechanisms, coordination on tariff retaliation policies, and efforts to deepen intra-BRICS trade by lowering non-tariff barriers and improving logistics links. There were also suggestions that BRICS could accelerate work on payment alternatives and supply-chain resilience to reduce over-dependence on any single market.

Reactions and Wider Context

Observers note Lula’s vocal stance will be welcomed by exporters in Brazil and other member states hit by higher duties. At the same time, BRICS members balance political messaging with pragmatic economic ties to large markets. Any coordinated action will need to reconcile different national priorities while presenting a united front against what members term unilateral trade coercion.

What Leaders Hope to Achieve

Beyond trade rhetoric, BRICS leaders used the summit to discuss deeper economic cooperation, technology partnerships, and reforms to international financial architectures to give emerging economies a stronger voice. The trade debate underlined why many BRICS countries argue that the current global economic framework needs updating to reflect shifting economic realities.

Source: Reporting and analysis based on articles by Reuters and The Times of India. (Read Reuters original; Read Times of India original)

Labels: BRICS Summit, Lula, Trade Policy, Jaishankar, Tariffs, Multilateralism

Tags: #BRICS #Lula #Trade #Tariffs #Multilateralism #Jaishankar

Disclaimer: This is a rewritten summary based on reporting by Reuters and The Times of India. Jammu News Portal does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of external content.