THE DIVERSIFICATION OF BRAZIL’S DEFENCE PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN 2023 AND 2025

Abstract

This article analyses the initiatives of Lula's third administration to diversify Brazil's defence partnerships between 2023 and 2025, highlighting both significant advances and structural obstacles. On the one hand, the period saw unprecedented agreements with non-traditional actors, such as the EDGE Group of the United Arab Emirates, as well as closer ties with India, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Benin, and the consolidation of the partnership with Portugal, which expanded Embraer's access to the NATO market. On the other hand, the attempt to sell part of Avibras to the Chinese company Norinco failed, highlighting the difficulty of establishing partnerships with the Global South in a strategic sector. The study points out that, despite the official discourse of strengthening the national industry and reducing external dependence, the autonomy of the Armed Forces in acquisitions, the technical-military alignment with the United States, and the governance weaknesses of the Ministry of Defence limit effective diversification, keeping Brazil predominantly linked to NATO suppliers and reflecting a mismatch between presidential foreign policy and the institutional practice of the Armed Forces.