(Reuters) -Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva spoke by phone on Thursday, Modi's office said in a statement, a day after the Brazilian leader said he would initiate a conversation among the BRICS group on tackling U.

In a significant diplomatic move amid escalating US tariff tensions under President Donald Trump, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva engaged in an hour-long telephone conversation on Thursday (7 August).

President Lula da Silva and PM Modi discussed the US tariffs impacting both Brazil and India, exploring deeper integration. Lula accepted Modi's invitation to visit India early next year, reinforcing India's upcoming BRICS presidency.