Sao Paulo, March 10 -- President of Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Monday emphasised the need for Brazil to strengthen its defence capabilities and expand international cooperation to avoid strategic vulnerabilities.

The remarks came during a meeting with Cyril Ramaphosa at the Planalto Palace in Brasilia as part of Ramaphosa's state visit aimed at deepening bilateral relations between the two countries.

Speaking after the meeting, Lula said defence should function as a deterrent and stressed the importance of preparedness. He suggested that Brazil and South Africa could explore joint initiatives in the defence sector to reduce reliance on international arms suppliers. According to the Brazilian president, both countries have the ...