Sao Paulo, Feb. 19 -- Brazil is seeking to deepen pharmaceutical cooperation with India as Health Minister Alexandre Padilha accompanies President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on an official visit aimed at securing agreements for local production of generic medicines and technology transfer to national laboratories, as reported by brasil 247.

The initiative comes days after the launch of the Brazilian Association of the Indian Pharmaceutical Industry in Brasilia, intended to act as an institutional bridge between Indian drugmakers and the Brazilian market by facilitating partnerships, investments and regulatory compliance.

Padilha said Brazil -- currently the largest consumer market for Indian healthcare products -- now wants to shift from...